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- media@commsroom.co
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After COVID-19 affected the workforce for a couple of years, companies have had to adapt to video conferencing becoming a new norm. The rise of Zoom and Teams meetings has made the world (and your workplace) feel more accessible.
But, as with all new forms of communicating at the office, unwritten rules and proper meeting etiquette have to be followed in order to stay efficient, effective, and as engaging as possible. Here are the top three best practices for virtual meetings and video conferencing.
Online meetings can feel extremely impersonal sometimes, which could affect communication of a team. A quick fix is to keep your video camera function on! This can help your colleagues and managers feel that you are giving an effort to being present, and that no matter how far you are, you’re willing to bridge that distance even if it’s just online.
Studies have shown that eye contact with humans during conversation helps us retain and synthesize information better, so make sure to keep your camera on!
And when you are present, you must be presentable. Wear a shirt that looks office-worthy, mind what’s in the background, and join meetings from a well-lit space. Most video conferencing apps have adjustable settings, so if you need to blur your background or even brighten up your complexion, adjust accordingly!
Making an effort in appearance is a sign of respect, so if you’re keeping your camera on, be camera-ready.
Everyone has the same amount of hours in a work day, but how we have to use them can greatly differ. Virtual meetings might be easy to schedule for some, but for a busy manager or an on-the-go journalist, random meetings might lead to derailment of the rest of their schedule.
Reduce the risk of conflicting schedules by having a shared calendar of availability, and make sure everyone needed is looped in and updated. In case a team member might be out on holiday or sick leave, ensure that a recording of the meeting is available so notes may be taken.
Another way to maximize virtual meetings is to include as many talking points as possible. Dedicating a bulk of an hour to just one update could be seen as a waste of time, so do your best to keep updates concise and well-documented, in case more details are required via email or chat clarifications afterwards. Team members that send detailed notes with their virtual meeting invite stay on track better and are less likely to cause schedule overlaps.
Presenting data to a team online can take months to prepare, but if their attention is divided down the line, that is time and effort wasted. Include graphics to accompany important information in your slides to give the eye something else to look at!
Related: Meeting technology head on – how event planners are upskilling
Walls of text can lead to visual boredom, which could make viewers try to multitask while you speak, thus cutting their focus in half. Stick to the most important data: numbers, statistics, dates, and key points, and send the necessary reports via email after, if needed!
Virtual meetings and video conferencing doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes, being present will mean more to your team and could help you all work together better, even with thousands of miles in between. Follow these three best practices, and you’ll be efficient both online and in person.
