Here is our list of the best remote meeting tips.
Remote meeting tips are ideas you can incorporate into your virtual get-together to keep the conversation engaging. Examples include using the right platform, asking participants questions, and playing games. The purpose of these tips is to ensure the online meeting is smooth, all attendees participate, and employees stay focused. Keeping teams engaged helps them make the best use of the information provided. These tips are helpful for hosts conducting a remote meeting for the first time as well.
Remote meeting tips are meeting ideas that can help make meetings fun. You can use these ideas during morning meetings when your team convenes via a video meeting platform.
This list includes:
- virtual meeting engagement ideas
- remote meeting best practices
- remote staff meeting ideas
Here we go!
List of remote meeting tips
Remote meeting tips are necessary when arranging a virtual meeting, be it formal or informal. The shift toward digital platforms for office work and meetings has made it necessary to improve the quality of remote meetings.
Here is our list of some of the best tips for remote meetings.
1. Determine if there is a need
Planning the meeting and the talking points is important to provide maximum value to the participants. The planner should also know if they really need to conduct a meeting. If you think there is nothing important to discuss in the meeting, then you can skip it. Organizing needless meetings can make attendees not attend the next meeting. Team members might also find the meetings boring. Instead, consider sharing information via email.
2. Set clear roles
While the host or moderator will convey the ideas, the participants should also know their role in the meeting. Therefore, you should inform members beforehand about why they need to attend the meeting and what you expect from them later. This approach will also make the participants realize their contribution is important.
3. Inform employees a few days in advance
The biggest problem with remote meetings is the time difference. Team members may live in different countries, and sometimes, the time difference is too much. Therefore, it is helpful to finalize the exact time of the meeting a few days before so that all members can participate. The time difference might mean that you will need to change the date and time of the meeting a few times.
4. Use the right meeting platform
Using the right meeting platform is necessary to avoid disruptions in the meeting. Google Meet, Webex, Zoom, and Skype for Business are popular platforms for organizing online meetings.
It is better to choose one forum and stick to it for future meetings as well. Also, the program you choose should be accessible to all participants, and if required, they should learn how to join meetings on that platform.
5. Understand the controls
Understanding the controls of the meeting platform is important for the host because they will organize and manage the whole meeting.
Here are some basic controls to familiarize yourself with:
- Inviting members
- Adding a new participant during the meeting
- Recording the meeting
- Turning on the camera and seeing other members on the screen
- Sharing the screen
The host, as well as the attendees, should know how to use the controls. If you are conducting a meeting on an online platform for the first time, then one helpful idea is to provide a demo video to attendees beforehand to teach them basic controls. This step will also avoid any disruptions during the meeting.
6. Check the platform in advance
It is helpful to check the platform a few minutes before starting the meeting. Your software should be up to date, and you should adjust all necessary settings before the meeting starts.
The host should also ensure all attendees have joined the meeting and that all members have an active internet connection. When there is no distortion in the sound and video system, the host can start the meeting. However, you should check that your mic and camera are working and all participants can hear and see you.
7. Ask attendees to turn on their cameras
While the host often has their camera turned on during the meeting, it is a good idea to ask the participants to do the same as well if they feel comfortable. Turning on the camera provides an opportunity to see other attendees and makes it feel more like a face-to-face meeting.
Apart from that, this type of conversation also boosts participants’ confidence and morale, as they will communicate with other members directly instead of messaging. You can ask employees to speak while looking directly at the camera and set it at an angle that makes them look professional.
With the cameras turned on, the host may also find it easier to interact with participants. The host will also monitor the attendees and check if they are browsing on the phone or focusing on the discussion.
Team members will also feel included in the meeting by turning on the cameras even when they are not talking or participating.
8. Set rules
The participants of formal meetings should follow the same rules in remote meetings as they would during in-person meetings. If you are organizing an office meeting, then you should inform participants beforehand that they should be properly dressed in formal clothes. Also, ask attendees to join the meeting in a private place so distractions do not bother the other participants.
You can also set other rules to help avoid disturbing the meeting. For example, you can ask the attendees to turn on the cameras, avoid eating, put phones on silent, and keep phones to the side.
9. Limit the number of participants
Remote meetings should have a limited number of participants because managing large groups in virtual settings can become difficult. In large groups, the host may also have trouble interacting with all members equally.
Therefore, the ideal group size for remote meetings should be less than ten. If you have more members, then you can assign breakout rooms to provide greater room for discussion. Assigning moderators is also a great idea for remote meetings because they take notes and help the host manage large group meetings.
10. Start with a short introduction
Short introductions are a part of some remote meeting best practices because they are the first step to keeping members engaged and involved. The host can start by introducing themselves, like sharing their name, job title, and why they are there. The host will then ask each employee to share some information about themselves. Even if the remote meeting is for the office, attendees can use a slightly informal approach to keep the meeting fun.
11. Avoid distractions
Avoiding distractions is an important remote meeting tip that both the host and attendees should follow. For example, sitting in the middle of the room with people roaming around and the TV on full volume is not a good idea. Participants should pick a separate place for the remote meeting and remove all items from sight that could become a distraction.
This step will help the members maintain their focus on the meeting discussion.
12. Elaborate on the good things first
One of the best practices for meetings is to start by discussing the positive things. Even if your company is facing a problem and you called the meeting to discuss the solution, you should still start the meeting on a positive note.
If you do not have any positive information to share, then you can tell participants that you value their contribution and thank them for their collaboration. You can later share the problem and ask employees for solutions.
Starting the meeting on a positive note can lift the moods of participants and help them understand their individual importance to the company.
13. Encourage participation
One of the best virtual meeting engagement ideas is encouraging participation by asking participants questions. In a virtual meeting, attendees are more likely to lose focus or get distracted easily. To keep the members engaged, the host should ask questions. This approach is better for meetings where the host has to provide information.
The host can also ask specific participants questions if they notice attendees are losing focus during the meeting. In this way, all remote members will feel included and remain engaged.
14. Keep meetings short
Due to the general perception of remote meetings being boring, a helpful idea is to keep meetings short. However, if you have a long list of topics to discuss in the meeting, then you can extend the time limit and plan breaks in between.
The ideal length of a remote meeting is 15 to 30 minutes. However, you should keep in mind that the meeting should be as long as it provides value to the attendees. The host should avoid dragging the discussion to increase the time limit and should only discuss important points.
15. Ensure clear communication
Unlike in-person meetings, the host and attendees cannot use their body language to communicate ideas. Instead, words are the best source of conveying information and ideas in virtual meetings.
Therefore, the host and attendees should ensure clear communication. Using the right words and the best communication channel will help colleagues share ideas accurately and clearly.
Another idea for the host is to use a welcoming tone while communicating. As a host, using an energetic, slightly informal tone keeps team members awake and focused. If the host has their camera turned on, then they can also move around during the meeting, like going to the board while explaining concepts. Otherwise, the host can use a digital whiteboard to make the online meeting visually interesting.
16. Understand the importance of team building games
Playing games and activities during meetings is among the best virtual meeting engagement ideas. Playing games is an excellent source of team building because they help reduce shyness among remote teams and promote camaraderie.
Here are some games you can play in a remote meeting:
- Online trivia
- Bingo
- Personality tests
- Online escape rooms
- Online murder mystery games
- Never Have I Ever
Remote meetings should have more than one game because players like participating in fun activities that keep them occupied. You can plan games throughout the meeting and play more during the breaks. A half an hour meeting should have games at the start as well as the end of the meeting. However, longer meetings should have a series of games during the breaks to keep the members focused and active.
17. Use the Zoom background feature
The Zoom background feature can make remote meetings more fun by offering customized experiences to users.
Also, members attending a meeting with a messy background can switch to the Zoom background to keep their private spaces hidden. In the Zoom background, the participant will only have themselves visible, while the background will be a customized pattern of what each individual selects for themselves.
Here is how you can set up your Zoom background:
- During the meeting, you will see a More button in the controls.
- After selecting this, click on the Background and Effects button.
- You will see a list of backgrounds available on Zoom. The platform also allows you to upload a picture for a customized background.
- After applying the background, you can click the Close button and return to the meeting.
The background you choose should be appropriate for the meeting. For example, using bright colors with loud patterns is not the right approach for office meetings. In the case of formal meetings, you should use light and subtle colors. However, engaging and creative remote meetings can have a pop of color on the Zoom background to engage participants.
Learn more about Zoom virtual backgrounds.
18. Make sure each member is included
In online meetings, members need to feel included in the discussion. The host should encourage employees to participate. If the host notices that some teammates are not speaking, then they can encourage them to participate by asking questions.
The host can also ask one question and have multiple attendees share their views. This approach will make every member feel included and boost their confidence.
19. Discuss takeaways
Clarifying takeaways is among the best remote staff meeting ideas. Before ending the meeting, the host should provide a summary of important points. This approach will help the attendees grasp concepts they might have missed during the discussion. The summary will also help the participants recall the talking points.
The host should also assign individual tasks after the meeting and tell each individual the next steps they need to take.
20. Ask for feedback
After the meeting, the host should ask for honest feedback from all participants.
The host can use several methods for getting feedback, which include:
- Create a poll asking if the meeting was effective.
- Send a survey to answer questions regarding the meeting.
- Create a Google Docs link where members can share feedback and give suggestions.
- Ask employees to share feedback via chat.
Constructive criticism and feedback from attendees will help you better prepare for future meetings.
21. Send follow-ups
To ensure that colleagues remember their roles and tasks, you should send follow-ups to the participants. You can send a message in the group chat or follow up via email to give a more professional feel.
This step will also demonstrate that you are concerned about the assigned task’s progress and value each individual contribution.
Conclusion
Organizing remote meetings is fun and easy if you use the right strategies and tips. Although conducting a remote meeting for the first time might seem difficult, the process can go smoothly if you have preplanned the meeting and the deliverables.
Following the right steps, discussing important topics, and incorporating fun activities can make your remote meeting a worthwhile experience.
Next, check out our lists of virtual team building activities, icebreaker questions, and coffee break ideas.
