{"id":11337,"date":"2020-04-23T13:47:02","date_gmt":"2020-04-23T13:47:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging-mondaycomblog.kinsta.cloud\/?post_type=remotework&p=11337"},"modified":"2024-03-10T15:27:10","modified_gmt":"2024-03-10T15:27:10","slug":"virtual-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/monday.com\/blog\/remote-work\/virtual-meeting\/","title":{"rendered":"How to conduct a successful virtual meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"

Think teams have to be in the same physical space in order for a meeting to be productive? I think it’s safe to say that 2020 taught us otherwise. Virtual meetings allow teams working remotely<\/a> to come together and share ideas, collaborate, and brainstorm the same way they would in person…but from anywhere.<\/p>\n

So how can we make these gatherings as effective and productive as possible? In this article, we\u2019ll cover some basic best practices for virtual meetings and look at some remote meeting software options organizations should consider as well.<\/p>\n

Get started<\/a><\/p>\n

What is a virtual meeting?<\/h1>\n

By definition, a virtual meeting is a meeting that\u2019s conducted online using audio and\/or video to connect people who are working from different places<\/a>. Also known as a remote meeting, these allow individuals and teams to collaborate, share, and communicate in real-time<\/a> regardless of where they\u2019re located, thus allowing for greater flexibility for everyone involved.<\/p>\n

Virtual meetings include gatherings like virtual board meetings or remote team meetings–which can be highly productive and engaging for a number of participants. HBR<\/a> reported that when 200 people were studied comparing attendance of a face-to-face meeting with a virtual one, 86% of participants reported as high or higher levels of engagement in virtual meetings as in face-to-face meetings when best practices were followed.<\/p>\n

What are some virtual meeting best practices?<\/h1>\n

Virtual meetings can often be productivity drainers<\/a> when they are abused. Here at monday.com, we\u2019ve established some clear ground rules for when (and when not) to videoconference.<\/p>\n

Speaking of best practices: here are a few to keep in mind around your virtual meetings.<\/p>\n

1. Establish a clear objective<\/h3>\n

Rule number one of any productive meeting is that it has a clear purpose. Make sure everyone in attendance at your virtual meeting knows what the objective is before the meeting starts, and understands what needs to be addressed and accomplished during your time together.<\/p>\n

2. Have an agenda<\/h3>\n

To keep your virtual meeting on track, you need an agenda. Without a roadmap for the conversation, your attendees might get sidetracked–which can make your meeting last longer and can lead to objectives not being met. Keep everyone working toward the objectives with action items and topics that must be covered before the virtual meeting wraps up.<\/p>\n

3. Assign roles and responsibilities for attendees<\/h3>\n

A simple way to keep your virtual meeting attendees engaged is to give each person a role as well as responsibilities that goes with their title. One person might be the note-taker, one person might be tasked with a brainstorm for the next session, another might be a report-generator. Give each person a job so they\u2019re more inclined to stay involved and to participate in the conversation.<\/p>\n

4. Keep it short and sweet<\/h3>\n

As with any meeting, it\u2019s easy to get carried away and have an efficient 30-minute virtual meeting turn into a three-hour meandering catch-up session. Put a hard stop time on your meeting and put a time limit on each person when they need to share updates to keep everyone on-task.<\/p>\n

5. Turn your meetings into action<\/h3>\n

Once your meeting is done, make sure that every team members know the next steps by making meeting notes or action items available to all attendees for follow up (Hint: our Zoom integration<\/a> is awesome for this).<\/p>\n

Get started<\/a><\/p>\n

How can I make remote meetings more interactive?<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re worried about how you\u2019ll make your remote meeting more interactive (and how you\u2019ll get those quiet few to speak up and participate), try working in a few engaging activities.<\/p>\n