GUIDE

How to have more efficient meetings working from home.

In light of recent health crises, more businesses have moved their team to adopt a work-from-home policy. With that comes the challenge of holding team meetings – and the dreaded video call. But holding video meetings while working from home in 2020 comes with a lot of flexibility. You can connect with people across the world without the hassle of meeting rooms, unnecessary travel and needless delays.

But getting used to holding your meetings remotely can be a challenge if you’re not used to it. It’s important to make sure you’re taking the right steps to allow your meetings to run as efficiently as possible.

FIND THE RIGHT VIDEO MEETING SOFTWARE FOR YOUR BUSINESS

Integrating the right software is key to improving the efficiency of your meetings. You could have a great host, a clear agenda, and the perfect team. But none of that matters if your tech isn’t up to the task.

We all run into technology problems from time to time but, with the right planning, you can overcome any issues that arise.

Man waving at laptop on video call software

Choose your video call software

Video is preferable to audio for remote meetings, as it provides greater clarity and a more personal touch. Let everyone know which video tool you’ll be using in advance. For regular meetings with people outside your company, use software that enables you to simply share a URL and go. This saves everyone from the hassle of having to create new accounts or remember login details for the software you’re using.

It’s also vital you choose a video tool that allows you to share your screen. Video call screen sharing is crucial to provide succinct explanations; something especially important when your team operates in separate environments.

Check your internet connection

A strong internet connection is possibly the single most important thing for your video meetings. Let people know in advance if there are specific bandwidth requirements.

Can people see and hear you clearly?

Make sure you have a good quality microphone. If your computer’s webcam is too low-resolution, now’s the time to consider investing in a hi-res external webcam. Disable any noisy notification tones and alerts to avoid people hearing them while you’re speaking. Noise-cancelling headphones are also useful to ensure you can hear others.

Think about your backup equipment

Do you need to have any additional devices to use in an emergency? Having a spare computer or tablet close by might sound extreme, but having a plan B is definitely useful if you’ll regularly be holding remote meetings. You don’t have to switch on every device you own prior to each meeting, but it’s nice to have the comfort of knowing you have an alternative way to join if your main device fails.

It’s also worth checking your smartphone settings to make sure you can quickly turn your phone into a WiFi hotspot if needed. Sometimes your main connection will let you down, so it’s good to have a phone or dongle ready for you to use as an alternative.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT LOCATION

Try to plan where you’ll take your video meeting in advance. Give yourself enough time to find a quiet area where you won’t be disturbed (by other people or by your pets!) and double-check that you have a strong internet connection.

It’s also a good idea to find somewhere with decent lighting, and to choose a professional setting – especially if your meeting is client-facing. You don’t have to be in a traditional office, but people don’t want to see a messy bedroom in the background of your calls. Consider buying a backdrop screen if you’re struggling to find an appropriate environment for your meetings.

ASK EVERYONE TO JOIN THE CALL INDEPENDENTLY

Even if some of your meeting attendees are sat together in person, it’s important to have everyone attend via a video call. By having everyone attend individually, you can avoid divisions between those in a room together, and those who join through a screen.

If you try to have everyone in the same room join the call together around one laptop, those who can’t physically attend are likely to find it harder to chime in. It’s also much harder for everyone to be heard equally if microphones are too far away. This also makes it easier to follow exactly who is speaking. More importantly, it avoids prioritising communication between certain groups of people.

Consider setting a rule that unless everyone in your team can hold the meeting together in the same room, all meetings should be held through video calls to ensure efficiency and fairness.

The easiest way to improve your team’s ability to collaborate when you’re working Anywhere is by using the right tools.

BE MINDFUL OF THOSE WHO CAN’T ATTEND

If you often hold meetings across time zones, try to rotate your meeting times to avoid prioritising certain locations.

Ever hosted a meeting on GMT working hours that left your team in Australia logging on at 1 am? Give some balance by setting the next meeting to be within their working hours. By rotating out-of-hours calls, you can avoid accusations of prioritising one team over every other.

But what if you can’t avoid cutting out some of your team? Working across time zones means there will always be someone who can’t attend. To that end, use a screen-recording tool to take a video of the meeting. Not only does this ensure every team stays up-to-date, but it also gives everyone a clear record of the key points made for future reference. For added clarity, ask one of your team to make notes during the meeting. This can be shared with everyone involved with individual action points and timelines.

OUTLINE A CLEAR AGENDA FOR YOUR MEETING

A clear agenda is vital for any kind of meeting, but it can be especially useful when you’re working Anywhere.

Stating the aims and objectives for your meeting – with individual points for each team member – ensures everyone is prepared prior to the call. Keeping people engaged is key; it can be easy to get distracted or try to multitask on video calls. A lack of focus and direction in your meetings will exacerbate these problems.

Try to prioritise key objectives and assign individual talking points in advance. When attendees think ahead and organise their ideas, people are more likely to be engaged and goal-oriented, resulting in a more productive meeting.

GIVE EVERYONE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK

It’s important to give everyone a fair opportunity to speak when you’re holding a remote meeting. To that end, try to allocate time for each person to speak. People might feel less comfortable interrupting on a call than they would in person. But designated speaking slots give everyone equal time, and allow people to organise their points according to the time limit.

Set up a signal for those who want to talk – you could have people raise their hand, hold up a card, or post in the chatbox of the call window. On the other hand, you could encourage people to speak up whenever they have a point. There’s nothing wrong with this if you want to create a more free-flowing meeting. But try to recognise when certain people are dominating the call at the expense of others.

Try to call on each person for their thoughts – if they feel less comfortable interrupting, they might miss an opportunity to speak. If someone has been quiet, check-in with them. It gives them a chance to speak without them feeling like they’re talking over others. Ask people for their feedback on ideas to ensure everyone has the chance to collaborate.

Allocating a leader or host for your video meeting is a good way to achieve all of this. If there’s one person whose job it is to keep an eye on the time and ensure everyone is contributing, your meeting is likely to run far more efficiently.

SUMMARY

Check your equipment – Make sure you have the right team communication tools.
Plan your setting – Find an appropriate location prior to your call.
Consider other teams – Rotate meeting times or record your meeting to accommodate those who can’t attend.
Come prepared – Share a clear meeting agenda in advance to give people the chance to prepare.
Give everyone the opportunity to participate – Call on people for feedback and stick to a clear timeframe.

DISCOVER ANYWHERE

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