Over the last two years, remote working has become the norm and is now considered a huge benefit to employees, with 74% of people requiring some sort of work-from-home option. However, meetings take on a whole new world of their own when done remotely. While virtual meetings are cheaper and offer excellent flexibility, many executives find in-person meetings more sociable and provide a more effortless ability to “read” the other people in the room. At home, people might not be able to keep as much focus compared to one at the workplace.

With so many distractions, how can we keep our teammates and clients engaged on virtual calls? An easy solution is to set a schedule for every meeting. Keeping to this will ensure the meeting won’t drag and keep the attention of your attendees. Let’s discuss your schedule!

Start With an Ice Breaker

A big problem with virtual meetings is sometimes they can come off a bit impersonal. If you don’t have much to contribute, you might be sitting there, staring off into space until the meeting is over. To give your meetings more personal flavor, you should start each one with an ice breaker. Play a game, ask fun questions, and so on. Not only will the attendees feel more involved and alert, but your team will also learn more about each other and grow closer. These ice breakers should not take more than 5 minutes.

If ice breakers feel forced, try joining early in the hope of starting a chat with other early attendees. Also, choose a virtual background that will spark a conversation.

Have an Agenda

Before you start every meeting, you will want to set an agenda. Preferably, everyone should see this agenda in advance so they can bring something to the meeting. You do not want to catch anyone off guard. An agenda also helps ensure participation by setting time aside for various projects people might be developing. For your agenda, you will need to determine your meeting time, the platform (Zoom, Skype, etc.), and who is attending to maximize the effectiveness. Place the agenda in the meeting invitation.

Stick to the Clock

People hate when a meeting drags. Keep your attendees engaged by setting a definite start and end time for each meeting. For maximum effectiveness, you might consider setting time for each task on your agenda. Don’t hesitate to be strict on the timing too. If someone brings something up that you aren’t prepared for, put it on the next agenda. If you spend too much time researching an answer, you will waste both your time and the other attendees’ time. Overall, setting a time limit is excellent to keep you and your teammates or clients focused.

Virtual meetings are just as important as if they were in-person, but now you have to stay aware of your attendee’s engagement and make them feel involved. Setting a strict schedule is sure to keep things flowing! Nobody respects the time of their clients more than at Normandy Insurance. We pride ourselves on a fast turnaround for our workers’ comp claims while providing the personal touch clients deserve. If you are interested in our services or writing with us, please check out our website for more details: www.normandyins.com

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