Remote meetings are a common thing in most companies today. With remote working, it makes sense if you will need to hold one-on-one meetings with your employees. However, how do you bring the employees together and ensure they attend the team meetings? How do you ensure the meeting will be successful and efficient? Remote meetings can be in audio or video form and project reviews of performance, discussions and team-building sessions. It is vital to ensure you get the most out of the meetings by providing the right tools. Use these tools to connect with employees, suppliers, partners and clients. Hosting an efficient remote meeting may seem challenging, but it is simpler than you think. This article will cover several tips to make your remote business meetings simple and successful.
Before the Meeting
Before the meeting begins, there are several things you should do for a good start. Check these out.
Decide the Software to Use
When hosting a remote meeting, one critical thing you must have is a video conferencing system. The good thing is that many video conferencing tools are available. All you need is to know the right one and get it from the best provider. The system allows you to communicate with the members in the meeting in whichever way you want. Some plans are free, while others require payment. They also come with unique features, meaning you should know what you need to complete your meetings. The good thing about most is that they have additional functionality like call recording and screen sharing. So, before the meeting starts, go through the available systems or ensure your video conferencing tools are in good shape.
Prepare Agenda and Invite
You need an agenda that will dictate what you will discuss in the meeting. So, set the plans and ask for suggestions from the members. Make sure you assign speakers for each agenda if you have several, and no member should discuss anything outside the topic. Ensure you share the issues with the participants in advance. You should also send the invites on time to make the meeting efficient and ensure everyone attends.
To further foster a sense of unity and collaboration within your team, it would also be beneficial to incorporate non-business-related activities into your meetings occasionally. Consider integrating virtual team building activities into your routine. These can be anything from online games to problem-solving tasks, which will not only enhance the team’s camaraderie but also promote communication, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
Consider Time Zone
When setting up the meeting, consider the time zones. That means knowing where everyone is located and how the time zone will affect the arrangements. Ensure everyone will be comfortable with the time you set for the meeting.
During the Meeting
Here is a list of the things you should do during the meeting.
Provide Time for Catching Up
If you want the meeting to be fun and productive, give the participants time to catch up. Working remotely means most employees don’t have time to interact, and everyone has a different work experience. Therefore, let the team catch up to maintain their relationships. Know how everyone is doing and engage every employee.
Go with the Agendas
You have the agendas for the meeting. So, stick by them and use the goals you have set to achieve by the end of the session. Sticking to the topics ensures the meeting is productive and you have met your goals. It also helps finish the meeting on time so everyone can continue their business.
Record
The best thing about virtual meetings is that you don’t need to write down the minutes. You can simply record and review it later for a summary. The recording makes it easy to capture important points and ensure the employees who could not participate are updated on what went down. You can always go back to the recording to see if you missed any crucial points.
Allow Suggestions
You will come up with the agendas, but your employees will have different opinions on how to do various things. Each perspective can help transform the business the way you want. Therefore, during the discussions, allow every member to suggest different ideas they have in mind. Your employees can help develop different ways to boost performance, productivity and business growth.
Leave Time for AOBs
The team may have other things they would like to discuss. Therefore, it will be a good idea to leave time for the AOBs. Give everyone a chance to talk, and ensure you listen. The members can discuss other vital things that will help improve your business. Therefore, leave room for different ideas and make employees understand that their suggestions matter.
After the Meeting
Once you finish the meeting, set aside some time to review it. You will need to check the ideas and ensure you implement them accordingly. If there were complaints, look into them to confirm every employee is happy and satisfied wherever they are. Here are the things you should do.
Summarize the Meeting
Plan how you will implement the ideas you discussed during the meeting by summarizing the discussion. Bring out the main points and send them to the participants. This will ensure everyone knows the following steps to take and the responsibilities assigned.
Send Recordings to Members
The best way to ensure you have listed all the ideas is by sending the recording to the team. Let every member review the recording and bring out something they have in mind. Sending the recordings will also ensure even the employees who did not attend the meeting know what is going on and can contribute. The recording will allow every member to understand the task assigned. They can always go back to the recording for clarification.
Follow Up
You need to confirm you are implementing the ideas. So, you will have to follow up with every team member. Check their progress and ask them if they are sticking to the plan. You can also ask them to update you on their progress every week. Talking to your team and helping them solve various challenges they encounter on the way will help ensure your meeting is worthwhile. It will also help the employees implement the decisions they make efficiently.
Summary
Hosting a virtual meeting may seem more challenging than an in-office meeting. However, that is not the case. A virtual meeting with remote employees can be as efficient if you do it correctly. Try the tips discussed above to make your remote session effective. These tips will ensure every member can actively participate and develop helpful ideas to grow your business.