Studies by Lifesize reveal that 78% of users use video communication at work for team meetings and 77% of users use video communication at work for large group meetings or company town halls. The popularity of virtual meetings has skyrocketed since 2020 and for good reason. Many remote workers find that when working from home and participating in virtual meetings rather than in-person ones they feel more productive, connected to their team, communicative, engaged, and collaborative.
While many employees benefit from working remotely and meeting virtually, there are inherent issues that can challenge the success of businesses and create obstacles for employees. Whether you are fairly new to virtual meetings or you or your team need a refresh, we’ve compiled some key information for you. We’ll discuss what the proper etiquette of virtual meetings looks like then tackle some common challenges and how we can solve or prevent them.
Some basic rules for virtual meetings in 2023 (which are of course subjective to individuals and organizations) are great standards to uphold if you or your team are in need of some guidance or a refresher on remote work etiquette.
As you begin the meeting, remind employees to minimize distractions such as cell phones or computer notifications and mute themselves when not speaking. Also, remind folks that if they have a comment or concern about what someone is speaking about to “raise their hand” using the meeting platform tools or start a discussion in the chat so that everyone has an equal chance to speak and be properly heard.
According to a survey of 2,000 Americans, 48% of people turn off the camera during meetings due to self-esteem. Therefore, the beginning of meetings is a great time to gently encourage everyone to have their cameras on and properly positioned so that their beautiful faces can be seen! Providing a few words of encouragement such as how everyone plays such a unique and vital role on the team or how grateful you are to see everyone and have everyone present for the meeting can go a long way in making team members feel more comfortable with leaving their cameras on.
Engagement is a key component to the success of meetings remote employees attend. Consider shortening meetings and pairing down the meeting agenda to better meet the attention spans of employees. It is also just as important that the material you have prepared is fresh, easily digestible, and keeps employees participating.
Need a ready-to-go meeting for your remote team? GettaMeeting has 12 comprehensive meeting modules, each including a video that’s ready to be plugged in and played, icebreakers and thought-provoking questions, takeaway item ideas, decor ideas and so much more.
If you notice some employees might be struggling with holding themselves accountable or staying disciplined when working remotely, consider scheduling a time to meet with them and discuss how you can better support them and what resources would help them stay on track. You can schedule weekly or monthly check-ins to make sure employees are improving and continue to show your support and willingness to help, even when not in the same physical environment.
If new technology is being used for meetings or if your team needs a refresh on tech tools, consider holding a lax meeting to quickly go through and demonstrate the different tools that can be utilized by remote employees to have a better meeting experience.
If your team seems distant and doesn’t have much time or many opportunities to collaborate, consider splitting the team up into breakout rooms during portions of the meeting to discuss, reflect, problem-solve or simply talk casually and get to know each other better.
For managers who are looking to create a better online meeting experience for employees or for meeting facilitators who want to streamline meetings and make them more efficient, consider the following.
Make scheduling easier. Tools such as Calendly, Doodle, SavvyCal, ScheduleOnce, and many others make scheduling and communicating meeting expectations much easier. Streamlining this meeting preparation can take time and pressure off of managers so that they can better focus on preparing the agenda and specifics of meetings.
Set a clear agenda. Before sending out those meeting invitations, create a thorough agenda and include a synopsis in the meeting invite. This helps your team prepare and join the meeting with clear expectations and responsibilities. It also helps the meeting move quicker and more efficiently when everyone is aware of what needs to be discussed and accomplished.
Allocate a respectful amount of time to virtual meetings. Most employees lose focus within the first ten minutes of online meetings. This is why it is imperative to optimize online meetings so that they are short, engaging, and efficient. If meetings longer than half an hour are required, schedule time for breaks, quick activities, and check-ins.
Start with an icebreaker or short game. By opening the meeting with a casual question or activity, the team becomes instantly engaged and the meeting starts off on a collaborative and light-hearted note.
Automate meeting notes. Taking diligent notes during meetings can be difficult and distracting. By automating note-taking, every member of the team can focus on the material without having to stress about remembering the details later. Tools such as Krisp, SuperNormal or Magical can be integrated into online meetings for accessible meeting notes.
Lead higher-quality video calls. If your meetings aren’t as successful because of little distractions or technical elements, consider minimizing background noise during calls by using tools such as Krisp.
Include interactive and visual elements. Consider incorporating elements such as polls, images, videos, and surveys throughout the meeting to keep team members engaged and to ensure the information is being retained.
Add personality and fun. Not every moment needs to be taken so seriously, so break out the funny gifs, stickers, and video filters. These added elements make the team feel more comfortable and find the funny among the serious and chaotic moments. Effective team bonding can come from consistent application of this.
Lastly, create opportunities for everyone to consistently participate. This can be done by using multiple methods of communication (writing, visual, voice) such as chats, polls, emoji reactions, etc. A way to combat bias and avoid a lot of participation from some employees and very little from others is asking everyone to participate simultaneously by using virtual post-it notes or flash cards. This way everyone can form their own ideas and share them at the same time.
Need material for your next online meeting? GettaMeeting has comprehensive presentation meeting modules equipped with an educational and engaging video instantly ready to stream with your virtual, in-person or hybrid team. Check out the many modules here.
