Here’s what we’ve learned supporting companies big and small to ensure their remote meetings are just as effective as in-person meetings.
1. Opt for video, not just phone
Without video cues, it’s hard to read people. If your entire team is working remotely, then using video helps everyone feel more connected.
2. Dial-in early
Make the video conference available early so people can log-in on time. (Another reason to not schedule meetings back to back). This is a great time for team members to check in with each other personally as well so that everyone still feels like part of a team.
3. Engage everyone
As the meeting leader, make sure to call on folks, especially if only a few are remote. It can be harder to get your voice heard on a video chat when many people are trying to chat and it’s harder to read those visual cues. You can also encourage people to “raise their hand” by using the chat feature.
4. Use chat features
Speaking of chat feature, make sure the platform you use has a chat feature to allow for attendees to ask questions or chime in if they are having technology issues — especially for large meetings.
5. Divide and conquer
If you run a large team, consider holding smaller sub-team meetings at shorter intervals, and focus meetings on specific goals/objectives to that the team feels more engaged in the meeting.
This post was written by David Youssefnia, PhD, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Uplevel.