Virtual meetings are the new normal now as social distancing is mandatory to contain the spread of the COVID-19. Back in March 2020, the global lockdown changed everything. Businesses were forced to go completely online. This transition was tough for everyone from businesses to the healthcare industry and schools. To continue WFH, I subscribed to Spectrum internet customer service, which was the best decision I ever made.
To hold a successful virtual meeting, you will need a fast and stable Internet connection, of course. Once that’s crossed from your list, these are some gems to make the virtual meeting just as effective as face-to-face meetings:
1: Never Roll Call
Roll call is an effortless way to waste time. If the beginning of the call is spent making sure everyone’s present, it will simply distract your employees. They might as well mentally check out before the session even begins.
If keeping a log of attendees is important, make it mandatory for each participant to type their name when they join the session.
2: Prepare an Agenda
Never start a meeting without an agenda, or it will be easier to get off track. Create an agenda and share it with all the attendees before the start of the meeting. Keep that agenda open during the meeting. Make sure everything’s covered, and you are not detracted.
3: Set the Ground Rules
Every virtual meeting should have some ground rules. For example, ask the participants to log into the meeting 5 minutes earlier. All attendees must mute their lines until it’s to speak. With rules like these, everyone can focus on the meeting. You won’t have to ask them to mute their microphones and waste 2 minutes from everyone’s precious time.
4: Jump Into the Content Right Away
Don’t hesitate to jump into the meeting content. The quicker you do that, the shorter the meeting. This will show your people that you respect their time. Also, the meetings will always be meaningful.
5: Formalize the Water Cooler Conversations
When a meeting is over, and everyone walks out and vents their frustration next to the water cooler? Bring that mini-hangout to the virtual workspace as well. Once the meeting ends, give your team 10 minutes to vent. The only difference is this is done virtually. Encourage your team to remain transparent as well as conscious.
Let your people know it is safe to vent out. Also, make sure they know they can speak now or the moment won’t come again.
6: Take Advantage of Live Video
With software like Zoom, holding a virtual video conference is a piece of cake now. It’s ok if you would like to keep the virtual meetings audio-based but once in a while, hold video meetings as well. It makes the event more personal.
This little gesture makes the virtual environment more inclusive. It shows real people are here for learning and discussion. Instead of keeping the entire meeting video-based, you can also keep the beginning of all sessions just a video where the speakers introduce themselves and turn off the camera when they move to the actual presentation.
7: Prepare for the Meeting
Apart from preparing the agenda of the meeting in advance, it’s also a best practice to prepare for the meeting. The speakers must be fully prepared. If it’s an important meeting, test the internet speed, mic checks, and another tech in use.
Test all equipment before broadcasting. Set the sound level as well. If you have to live stream or share a screen, make sure unnecessary tabs are closed. This preparation prevents technical glitches from happening when the meeting begins.
Conclusion
Fortunately, I didn’t have to call Spectrum’s phone number, not even once, to complain about poor Internet. Their service has helped me continue working from home and participate in a virtual meeting successfully.
To make sure you nail your meetings every time, choose the best Internet, and everything mentioned in this guide to stay on track.