9 Video Meeting Etiquette to Provide
an Exceptional Experience
After the coronavirus outbreak, businesses leveraged the virtual platforms for functioning. While most organizations identified virtual platforms like Zoom, Slack, Goldcast, there were many budding organizations that developed interactive virtual platforms for the businesses to sustain their operations.
Initially, when meetings were conducted online, there were disturbances and unwanted nuances. And gradually, organizations began to streamline their virtual meetings that led us to craft this blog, defining the best practices to be followed during video meetings.
So let us understand a few very simple etiquettes the participants must follow when attending meetings online.
Introduce attendees
While this may seem like a basic idea, many participants fail to introduce each other on calls. Just how talking to a group of people becomes easier when acquaintances are introduced, similarly video calls become easy when participants or colleagues are introduced. This helps to break the ice and ignite a smooth conversation.
Maintain a clean background
We understand that conducting video meetings online might have background disturbances, but one must make sure to attend calls from a peaceful and neat environment. This prevents drawing the attention of the participants and enables a smoother conversation.
Look into the camera
Not everybody is camera confident, but when conducting meetings online, it is always better to look into the camera and converse. This creates a positive environment and enables to create a real conversation. Just like how you must look into the eyes when talking, similarly you must look into the camera for a real feel.
Focus on the agenda
Now that people are confined to their homes, it is evident that we tend to talk a lot about things other than work. So the calls are mostly refreshing, but a few things that might take away the attention are unwanted distractions like email pop-ups, messages, reminders, etc. When you are attending any video call, make sure to turn off any such distractions that can be viewed by the participants.
Take care of the audio and video settings
We all must have come across such instances when our fellow participants might forget to unmute themselves, or enable their video. Maintain the decorum of the conversation and follow the protocols listed. Double check your audio and video settings to avoid confusion and unwanted chaos.
Only invite participants who are needed
While we understand that in times like these we feel good to interact with humans, it is also necessary that our meetings don’t take away the time of the participants who are not needed. If you feel that a participant is least needed, don’t include them on the call. It not just disinterests the participant, but creates a negative environment.
If you are the host, act like one
Just how you invite friends over to a house party and stick around, if you are the host of an online meeting, stick around. Initiate conversations about the agenda and focus more on interacting with your teammates. Don’t avoid the meeting and give control of the conversation to somebody else.
Security
Now that videoconferencing has taken control of the functioning, it is important that you take care of the security of the sensitive information. Make sure to not reveal information on the calls, or keep details available to view for the participants. Keep security as your main concern and drive the meeting forward.
Effective closing
Random byes are boring. Make sure to wrap the call with takeaways and a positive conversation. Don’t abruptly end the meeting. When you are taking all the efforts in creating a positive opening, carry the same until the call ends.
Putting everything together
Online meetings are new to most of the people. While everybody is trying their best to evolve with the situation, it is important that we ease the process as much as possible. Follow the nine mentioned steps above and you could see yourself creating a positive environment on the call that your participants will look up to in every upcoming meeting.
