4 Basic Etiquettes of Virtual Meetings

Amidst the global pandemic, there has been a massive shift in how certain things have been conducted in the business world. One major change that has occurred is the increase in the number of virtual meetings. For some, this might be something they have never done or experienced before. There are certain aspects of virtual meetings that everyone should know about that will allow them to sustain a professional environment during the meeting while being in the comfort of their home.

Test your equipment

One of the first things you need to keep in check is the right technology. The different kinds of applications that you can use to conduct a virtual meeting are Skype, Zoom, Google Meet etc. but the more important thing is for you to test out your equipment to see if it is in a good working condition. Test your camera and your microphone in advance to make sure that you are ready to conduct the meeting successfully and effectively. To reassure that everyone is informed about the meeting, use a scheduling tool like Calendar to pick the best date and time for everyone without having to exchange a million emails.

Distraction is a vice

Whenever you’re on a conference call and are sneakily checking your email, chatting with people on instant message, or scrolling through social media, you are mistaken if you think people can’t see or notice you. You may even be more involved in setting your fantasy football line-up or just surfing the internet. It’s not respectful if you’re not fully mentally present during the meeting. That’s why you should avoid the temptation of being distracted in the first place by closing all non-essential programs and windows. The only programs that should be open are the ones that you need for the meeting, such as documents and presentations.

Mute your microphone when you’re not speaking

The pandemic has made sure that every single person is forced to sit at home, and everyone includes children and animals as well. This leads to the next tip that suggests that when you are done speaking, always make sure that you mute your microphone so you do not end up disturbing someone else with any background noise that could be caused by a dog barking or children playing around somewhere in the distance.

Dress to impress

Last but not least, even though you may be in your bedroom against the best looking wall, make sure you get dressed appropriately for the meeting. The beauty about working from home is that you don’t always have to wear formal, professional attire like a suit and tie. But, if you’re on a video call, it is highly unprofessional to be wearing pyjamas and rock a serious case of bed head. Be professional and courteous by dressing appropriately and combing your hair. As an added bonus you’ll be more focused and productive because you’ve dressed for success.

Train for Success

There are certain fundamental skills needed to fully prepare human resources to be able to conduct and engage in virtual meetings effectively and efficiently. Virtual trainings are great in this regard that enable the employees of a company to be prepared to be as active as they would be in a traditional meeting environment as well. Through experiential trainings on virtual communication and collaboration, the employees develop a sense of confidence while they engage in conversation with customers in a virtual meeting as well as be efficient in using virtual tools, including video, for maximum engagement during discussions.

Through multiple modules of virtual trainings, these etiquettes can be instilled in individuals as well as a plethora of soft skills so they can perform well in remote meetings.