Offices are increasingly recognizing the benefits of virtual meetings
The mandate to shelter-in-place and work remotely has brought about the need for people to be more resourceful and creative with how they connect.
Fortunately, we are living in a time when meeting virtually is possible, not only to bond with family and friends, but to keep entire teams and staff productive and gainfully employed.
But perhaps the best news is that this opportunity exists for any office, regardless of size. And the perks are plenty. For starters, virtual meetings eliminate the cost of travel, accommodations, and even office space.
Anyone with access to a computer and an internet connection can hop onboard instantly from anywhere in the world.
Being able to connect so easily leads to better communication. And the ability to present ideas and share information quickly, results in a more productive and efficient workforce.
Like any in-office meeting though, it’s easy to wander off without a plan, so here are some valuable tips for getting the most out of your conference call sessions.
Business Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Virtual Meetings
- Send out a quick email 24 hours before the meeting with everyone’s designated call-in-number and a brief explanation of how to use the platform.
- Include an agenda, noting the items to be covered during the meeting, as well as who the key players are. Allocate sufficient time, so each presenter can cover any key points needing to be addressed.
- Ask everyone to make sure they are in a distraction-free area to attend the meeting. Give people joining the conference the option to mute themselves as needed when they are listening to the meeting.
- Allow everyone participating in the meeting to introduce themselves and their role. This will allow everyone to have a voice in the meeting and feel as if they are a part of the team, even though they are not physically in the same room.
- For your first remote meeting, consider it to be a “dry run” where you allow everyone to familiarize themselves with the platform.
- Give everyone a role in the meeting and make the meetings as interactive as possible. Also, some casual conversation at the start and the end of the meeting will help create a community-driven atmosphere for the meeting.
- Make your meeting’s introverts feel included by asking for their input. Keep it light to make them comfortable.
- Appoint someone to take notes. These will be beneficial in explaining everyone’s responsibilities after the meeting.
- Ask your team to put their other work activities aside for the duration of the meeting. This ensures everyone is paying attention and not distracted when not speaking.
- Keep the meeting within the allotted time frame. Sometimes, it might not be possible to fit everyone and every agenda item in. It’s okay to follow up on these with an email or to push them forward to the next meeting.
Added Tips for Peace of Mind
When shopping for a solution to hold your company meetings virtually, be sure the platform includes the following:
- A designated secure number your team can access.
- The ability for all your attendees to easily access the meeting notes in the future.
- The ability to send a follow-up email immediately after the meeting ends, so people can access the meeting notes.
- An all-inclusive, affordable price that helps you do more in these lean times.
Conclusion
With the right tools and a little planning you and your team can run highly effective business meetings at a fraction of the cost and in less time than traditional in-person meetings.
In fact, once you see its benefits, you may wonder why you didn’t make the switch sooner.
Do you have any tips or meeting needs you’d like to share that we haven’t covered here? Drop us a note at feedback@dyl.com
