6 rules for running virtual meetings that will keep your remote teams happy and engaged - and make you a respected leader
- Managers may struggle to keep employees focused and engaged during virtual meetings.
- Research from the Project Management Institute shows that distractions, like a lack of concentration and participation from remote employees, can hamper the success of a remote meeting.
- To ensure success, managers can employ strategies like check-ins to evaluate employees' mental health and a set agenda to facilitate a smoother transition to remote work.
- Join Business Insider on Thursday at 12 p.m. ET for our digital live event "Leading From Home," where we'll be talking with WorkBoard founder Deidre Paknad and Chatbooks founder Nate Quigley about how to lead remote teams amid the coronavirus crisis.
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As the coronavirus pandemic changes the US workforce, millions of people are logging into the office from home. This means more employees are also having their meetings virtually.
But virtual meetings can be a challenge. A survey from the workplace research think tank Project Management Institute (PMI) found virtual meetings often aren't successful because of distractions (like social media notifications), lateness, and a lack of communication between colleagues.
"As the nature of work changes, so too must the structure and dynamics of teams - and this is true for virtual meetings," Brantlee Underhill, managing director for North America at PMI, told Business Insider. "The biggest mistake managers make is operating like it's business as usual. But this new normal requires different skills, more clearly defined roles and responsibilities and increased agility."
If managers want to hold more effective virtual meetings, experts say they should develop a plan that will help them get the most out of their employees.
Here are tips that will help you become more effective at leading teams virtually, according to CEOs and management experts.
Have a clear agenda for the meeting
Having set goals for your team can make for a smoother online transition. In this case, experts suggest managers create a dynamic agenda or one that's built on a shared document on the fly. Jordan Husney, CEO and cofounder of the meeting tool Parabol recommends companies use a shared Google Doc, or a virtual workplace tool like Notion.
"Most people are used to the concept of an agenda sent out before a meeting," Husney said. "But let's be honest with each other - this is hard."
Keep it small
One step managers can take to make a meeting more organized is to keep it small. According to Underhill, when you're planning a virtual meeting a smaller team can help keep the call on task.
"Split a larger group into smaller, more agile teams to complete specific tasks," Underhill said.
But sometimes there's no way of escaping a large meeting, for example, business conferences or workplace town halls. In this case, it may be useful to use hand gestures to signal the start or stop of a discussion.
"If you're in a large meeting, use a 'raise hand' or similar function and then speak," said Ben Christensen, cofounder and head of people at Handshake, a college networking and career platform. "It can help make a more inclusive conversation than trying to interject or interpret facial cues via video call."
Assign roles and responsibilities to employees
For a virtual meeting to run as planned, at the start of a meeting experts recommend divvying up action items among employees. This prevents multitasking and makes room for accountability, Husney said.
"Virtual meetings are most effective when each team member understands how they are contributing to the larger whole," Husney said. "It also helps ensure greater transparency and total participation across the team and ensures every team member knows they have a voice and place."
Have a backup connection available
Technology is still not always reliable. Christensen advises managers have an alternative way to connect if your first method fails you.
"Have one backup for your meeting connection just in case," he said. If issues arise during a video conference, for example, the video freezes or the image is blurry, make sure employees can and know how to dial in for an audio call.
Give everyone a chance to speak
According to Underhill, it is imperative to upgrade how you manage employees in an online setting. During a meeting, everyone needs to get a chance to discuss their ideas.
Underhill said managers should monitor the chat to ensure everyone has a chance to participate and no one dominates the conversation.
Make time to check in with your coworkers
When employees are working remotely, it's likely that employees will feel lonely and isolated, Business Insider reported. To fix this, Husney advises managers "make space for humanity." This can mean engaging more personally through icebreaker questions and check-ins at the start of a meeting.
"It can be as simple as asking, 'What has your attention today?' or, 'How are things?'" Husney said.
These check-ins also double as a way to make sure everyone's mic is working. As a manager, scheduling time to listen to your employees not only shows compassion for their mental health, but it's important for your bottom line.
"If somebody seems a little down, you can care for that individual at the moment," Husney said. "Remind yourself to reach out and schedule a virtual coffee just to chat."
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