As our society makes efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic through social distancing, everyone who can work from home is being encouraged to do just that. After all, working remotely is better than not having a source of income at all. Transitioning to this method of doing business is a challenge for some. Bryant Consultants, a small business consulting firm, is here to help. That’s why our experts put their heads together to compile this list of ways to make your next remote meeting successful.
Find the right tool for the job
Technology makes it possible for many businesses and industries to still do their work remotely that would not have been possible five or even 10 years ago. If your business has been forced to go virtual, you may not know what programs you need to keep things running. Answering this question comes down to determining your specific needs. For example, if you need to see the faces of your team during meetings, consider video conferencing software such as Google Meeting or Zoom. If you’re collaborating on a document, Google Docs is a great choice. If you’re sending a presentation that needs to be viewed in real-time, opt for screen sharing software like GoToMeeting.
Most online meetings can benefit from a system that has both video and audio functionality. Whatever system you choose, make sure it also meets the needs of your workforce. If you’re running a meeting with 20 workers logging in separately, you need to make sure you choose software that can handle that many attendees.
Make the most of your remote meetings
It can be easy to take the office environment for granted when it goes away. Working on-site with your team provides so many small opportunities during the day for you to teach, chat, and connect as the owner/operator. Working remotely means a dearth of those opportunities. You can recreate it, in a way, by creating a communal space online where they can talk, share, and connect outside of a structured meeting environment.
The benefits of such a shared space include:
- Helping people grow more comfortable communicating digitally, especially with individuals they’ve never physically met
- Growing familiarity with other members of the team and their specific areas of expertise
- Encourages a greater sense of teamwork for all involved
- Identify any differences in communication style or point of view that could become issues in a structured meeting environment
Follow these tips to make your next remote meeting a successful one
- Have a plan – This is the most important factor in any remote meeting. Have an agenda beforehand, so that your team knows what will be discussed before they gather. What makes a good agenda? Key talking points that are stated clearly, a structure designating the approximate amount of time that will be devoted to each talking point, a list of the team members attending the meeting, and having any relevant documents or files gathered ahead of time.
- Set guidelines – Make sure everyone on your team knows the rules and expectations of the meeting, and how they should conduct themselves and contribute. Will you let people speak freely, or have the meeting leader call on people in turns? Should members mute their phones until it’s their turn to talk? You also should set some basic rules of etiquette for remote meetings. We recommend making sure technology gets tested ahead of time, and advise others not to work on other tasks during the meeting. Also, encourage team members to silence their cell phones. The best rule is to practice common courtesy and create an environment where every member of your team feels heard, seen, and respected.
- Set goals – Each member of your team should exit the meaning with a clear and defined objective to work for in the near future. This objective should be accompanied by knowing how to follow up, what deadline there is, and when the next meeting will take place.
- Follow up – As the meeting host, you want to check in with each attendee for their perspective on how the meeting went. Their feedback—good or bad—will make future meetings more effective and efficient.
These are challenging times for all businesses, no matter what your industry might be. Bryant Consultants can help. For more information, call us at (877) 768-4799 or connect with us virtually for consultation, training, and coaching. To ensure that you receive the latest updates, please follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
