Now that we’re working from home and spending a lot of time on meeting applications to talk with and check in to our colleagues and staff, conducting one might be a little off-put, given the ground we are all stepping at. In our current case, we have to make efforts, more than ever, to carry out a stimulating digital assembly and to put each participant at ease and more engaged.
Online meetings, as studies suggest, increase our cognitive load and emotional effort since most of their features take up a lot of conscious capacity and mental work. With that, long periods of being on the screen can be exhausting and emotionally taxing. But because we don’t want to fall into the spiral of this virtual meeting fatigue, we looked up ways on how to conduct a highly productive online meeting.
Have a clear and well-communicated agenda.
Like any real meeting, this one is very important in letting the key persons know what the meeting is all about. Make sure to communicate a clear agenda to the people involved. Remember to time-cap your meetings so you can only discuss and focus on what really matters.
Appoint a meeting moderator.
Internet connection and video or audio quality issues might get in the way when holding an online meeting, and there’s a high chance that participants might speak all at the same time, so having a moderator keeps everyone on the same page by controlling the proceedings.
Set up everything in advance.
Make sure everyone checks their system before getting into the meeting. Inspect your camera, microphone, audio, Internet connection, and software before you proceed so that discussion can run smoothly.
Avoid distractions.
Make it a point that all participants are sitting comfortably in a well-illuminated room with no-fuss background. Also inform people in your house the schedule of your meeting so you won’t get disturbed and interrupted.
Adjourn with clear action items and notes.
The purpose of the meeting is to keep everyone on track and on the same path. So, it’s very important to provide action items and get them acknowledged by everyone. Giving minutes of the meeting is also necessary to give participants a concerted rundown.
As we transition to the ‘new normal’, getting things around for our business is expected. Organizing a well-structured, moderated, and well-communicated online meeting is a good way to keep your people and firm together. How are you making your online meeting fun and engaging? Tell us about it!
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