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Quorum

What is a quorum?

A quorum is the minimum number of members required to be present at a meeting for the proceedings to be considered valid. This ensures that decisions made during the meeting represent a sufficient portion of the group's members

For example, in a corporate setting, a quorum might be defined as a simple majority of the board members. If a company has ten board members, at least six would need to be present to meet the quorum requirement

How does a quorum work?

1. Define a quorum

The simplest way to define a quorum is a majority of members as in the example above. A majority can be defined as '50% +1' but boards can set any other ratio (E.g. minimum 2/3 of members) or a fixed number of members (E.g. minimum 7 out of 10). A board typically defines the quorum in the organization's bylaws or governing documents. (For committees, that would be part of the Terms of Reference).

If there is no quorum defined yet, boards can add an agenda item to give members of the organization an opportunity to weigh in and vote on it so it can be added in the bylaws.

2. Establish a quorum

For a meeting to proceed, the quorum must be met. This means enough members must be present to meet the minimum requirement. This is simply done by counting the members present in the meeting.

3. Decision making

Once a quorum is established, the meeting can officially start, and decisions made during the meeting are considered valid

4. Lack of quorum

If a quorum is not met, the meeting may be postponed, or certain actions may be taken to reach a quorum, such as contacting absent members and asking them to join in person or by teleconference.

Tips for reaching quorum

Here are some practical tips to help ensure you reach a quorum for your meetings:

Advance Notice: Notify all members well in advance about the meeting date, time, and location. This gives everyone ample time to plan and attend.
Clear Agenda: Send out a detailed agenda beforehand. If members know what will be discussed, they may be more motivated to attend.
Reminders: Send reminders as the meeting date approaches. This can be through emails, phone calls, or even text messages.
Flexible Scheduling: Consider the availability of your members when scheduling the meeting. Conduct surveys or polls to find the most convenient time.
Virtual Options: If possible, offer virtual attendance options. This can significantly increase participation, especially for those who might have difficulty attending in person.
Engagement: Encourage active participation by making the meetings engaging and relevant to the members. Highlight the importance of their presence and input.
Follow-Up: If a quorum isn't met, follow up with absent members to understand their reasons for not attending and address any issues that might be preventing them from participating.

Alternatives for in-person meetings

With busy schedules, it can sometimes be difficult to get everyone in a meeting room at the same time. If you have difficulties to reach quorum in your meetings, consider an offline meeting to make important or urgent decisions.

Hard to reach quorum in your meetings?
Try an 'offline' meeting instead.

Offline meetings typically run for a few days providing members with ample opportunities to join discussions and vote on agenda items.

Learn more about offline meetings here?

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