What is a All-hands company meeting?

Q: How often should all-hands meetings be held?

Typically monthly or quarterly, depending on company size and pace of change. Too frequent and they become routine; too rare and employees feel disconnected. Monthly works for fast-moving environments; quarterly for stable ones.

Q: What should be covered in an all-hands meeting?

Business performance updates, strategic priorities, major announcements, team wins, and Q&A time. The mix depends on what's happening - some meetings are update-heavy, others focus on specific topics or celebration.

Q: How do you handle all-hands for distributed teams?

Use video conferencing, record for those who can't attend live, and enable remote questions (chat, anonymous Q&A tools). For hybrid companies, ensure remote participants have equal engagement opportunities as in-person attendees.

Q: Should all-hands be mandatory?

Ideally yes - they're important for alignment and culture. But forcing attendance without making content valuable backfires. Make them worth attending, and most people will want to be there.

Q: How do you encourage questions at all-hands?

Allow anonymous questions, seed with pre-submitted questions, have leaders answer honestly (including "I don't know"), and thank people for asking. Psychological safety determines whether people will speak up.

Updated 31 Jan 2026 • 5 min read

An all-hands meeting (also called a town hall) is a company-wide gathering where leadership addresses the entire organisation. It typically covers business updates, strategic direction, major announcements, and provides an opportunity for employees to ask questions directly.

Understanding all-hands meetings

All-hands meetings bring the entire organisation together. They're a key channel for internal communication - sharing information that everyone needs to hear directly from leadership, and creating a sense of shared purpose and direction.

All-hands purposes

Business updates
Strategic alignment
Major announcements
Culture building

Why they matter

Direct leadership access
Consistent messaging
Employee voice
Organisational connection

Purpose and content

Typical all-hands agenda

Business update: Performance metrics, financial health, market position

Strategic priorities: Current focus areas and why they matter

Announcements: New hires, departures, changes, launches

Recognition: Celebrating wins and acknowledging contributions

Q&A: Open questions from employees to leadership

Best practices

Planning

Consistent schedule (monthly/quarterly)
Time that works for all locations
Clear agenda shared in advance
Pre-submitted questions option

Delivery

Keep it engaging (not death by slides)
Leave time for Q&A
Be honest and transparent
Record for those who can't attend

Q&A is essential

All-hands without questions becomes a broadcast, not a conversation. Allow anonymous questions if needed, answer honestly (even "I don't know"), and never punish people for asking tough questions. The Q&A is often the most valuable part.

Common mistakes

Information dump

Too many slides, too much detail, too long. All-hands should highlight what matters most, not cover everything. Keep it focused and save detailed content for other channels.

Avoiding hard topics

Only sharing good news damages credibility. Address challenges and concerns - employees already know something's happening. Honest discussion builds trust.

No follow-through

Promising answers or actions but not delivering. If you say "we'll get back to you" - actually do it. Broken promises undermine future all-hands engagement.

Key takeaways

All-hands meetings connect leadership with the entire organisation. Effective all-hands are regular, engaging, honest, and include time for questions. They're a key tool for alignment, culture, and transparency.

RosterElf's staff management helps Australian businesses schedule staff for company-wide meetings and important events.

Frequently asked questions

How often should all-hands meetings be held?

What should be covered in an all-hands meeting?

How do you handle all-hands for distributed teams?

Should all-hands be mandatory?

How do you encourage questions at all-hands?

Written by

Steve Harris

Steve Harris has spent over a decade advising businesses in hospitality, retail, healthcare, and other fast-paced industries on how to hire, manage, and retain great staff. At RosterElf, he focuses on sharing actionable advice for business owners and managers — covering everything from smarter interview techniques and compliance with Australian employment laws, to building positive workplace cultures.

How to implement in RosterElf

Step-by-step guides to set this up

setup

How to enable and use chat in RosterElf

Announce and follow up on all-hands meetings through team chat.

setup

Adding shifts on your roster

Schedule all-hands meetings by blocking time on the roster.

Related resources

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General information only – not legal advice

This glossary article about all-hands company meeting provides general information about Australian employment law and workplace practices. It does not constitute legal, HR, or professional advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for advice specific to your business, workforce, or circumstances.

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