While they might seem like a new trend at this point in time, remote meetings have been around for much longer. That being said, they’ve only recently started becoming somewhat of a norm, especially during the pandemic. It doesn’t come as a surprise that they happen all over the world, at all times of day and night, and that they can be incredibly convenient. Still, because gathering a group of people in a virtual space and encouraging them to be productive can seem like mission impossible. If you're running remote meetings on a daily basis, here are some useful tips to help you make sure they’re a success.
Pick the perfect spot
This has probably happened to you before – you’re attending a really important remote meeting only to realize that the other person's background noise is too distracting. This doesn’t necessarily have to be something they can control – dogs will bark, cars will honk, and kids will shout when they play regardless of virtual team meetings happening nearby. It is, however, is very unprofessional and can be terribly distracting to others who are also on call, so finding the right, quiet spot for your remote meeting is a must. It’s also a good idea to remind everyone who will be attending the meeting to do the same because sometimes people don’t realize just how noisy their household can be when they’re on a conference call with their coworkers.
Do the necessary prep work
This is something that pretty much goes without saying for any meeting, virtual or in-person one. All of your materials should be prepared and next to you before you start, as well as any team updates you might have. This will ensure that everything goes smoothly and just the way you planned it. You don’t want to waste everyone’s time looking for your papers or browsing through your chaotic notes while others are sitting (im)patiently. Make concise notes and talk through them, tick off things that you covered, and ask for feedback in the end. If your business uses employee feedback software, you can encourage employees to use it. This way, managers and supervisors will stay on top of both roadblocks and accomplishments and can use this to talk about both in meetings.
Find the right tools for the job
Let’s face it – you’re only going to have a successful remote team meeting if you have good tools and apps. By far the most popular tools for remote meetings include Zoom and Skype apps because these allow a lot of people to attend a meeting at the same time. If your meeting is a bit more serious and requires professional equipment, software, and surroundings, you can always hire a company such as Veritas Events to make sure you have everything covered If you have a lot of upcoming meetings, you can try Appear.in – a video chat room that’s there permanently, and people can pop in and out of it at their own convenience; all they need is a fixed URL that you can provide for your team. One thing you shouldn’t forget, though, is that no matter how advanced the technology is, there will always be small bugs and glitches, so don’t expect perfection at all times.
Establish proper etiquette
Unsurprisingly, the one thing most people who frequently attend virtual meetings complain about is that people don’t follow the right meeting etiquette. Such behavior leads to more distractions and takes time away from everyone, which is why it’s a good idea to establish guidelines before you actually start the meeting. Proper meeting etiquette means that your microphone should be off when you’re not speaking (this will also reduce background noise which is always a good thing). When it’s your turn to speak, turn on your microphone, speak clearly into it, and turn it off when you’re done. Proper meeting etiquette also means that anyone attending will agree to set up their device in a place that’s free of distractions. Another good thing to do is make sure other computer applications are closed for the meeting duration unless they are relevant or you need them. You can type these guidelines (and any other you can think of and find important) and send them to meeting attendees in advance..
Choose the first person to speak
No matter how good our internet connection is and how well the app and software we are using work, delays can happen. This means that a person will start speaking, but you won’t see their lips move until later. Or,if you have your cameras off, there will probably be a time when more than one person will start a sentence only for everyone to awkwardly fall silent and start encouraging each other to begin. To prevent these situations from happening, after you’ve greeted everyone and introduced the topic you’ll be talking about; you can wait for a few seconds to see if anyone will naturally take the lead. If that doesn’t happen, pick a person and ask them a direct question to encourage them to speak. This will give other participants time to prepare their own notes and think about what they want to say. You can also start by asking a question and calling participants’ names one by one to answer you.
Turn on your cameras
This might be a bit controversial for some people(especially those very shy introverts), but having your camera on during meetings is a great way to make those meetings more successful. You want to be able to see the people you’re addressing, follow their body language, and feel like you’re making eye contact. Having cameras on will increase the success of your remote meetings, but it also means that you should mind your appearance. This means that you should be dressed professionally (at least from the waist up) and that your camera should be aimed at your head and shoulders. Additionally, if you’re able to find a corner with a white wall, a bookshelf, or a poster behind you, it will make you appear even more composed and professional. Having team members look at your bed or overflowing kitchen sink behind you while you’re working will make it more difficult for them to focus.
Don’t forget about time zones
Last but not least, you have to keep in mind the fact that not all of your employees work and live in the same time zone as you. You have to be considerate of their work hours and try your best to respect their free time. Of course, sometimes Europe can’t find the perfect time to have a chat with Australia, which means that one side will experience slight inconvenience their daily routine. As the person behind the meeting, it’s your job to make sure everyone stays on track and you don’t waste valuable time discussing things that could easily be solved over a couple of emails. If you’re not sure, utilize a time zone tool or an app, or simply ask your coworkers whether the suggested time works for them.
At this point in time, we find ourselves in the middle of aCovid-19 pandemic and can’t see each other face-to-face as easily as we did before. With advanced technology and the pandemic, remote meetings have become a huge part of our daily lives, yet it doesn’t mean they will stop with the social distancing measurements. If you’re hoping to keep having productive remote meetings, you’re going to have to put in some work. There are many parks and downsides to remote meetings, but if you’re prepared and determined, you'll easily get the most of it.
