6 tips to ensure you have a productive online meeting

With the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic came the art of remote working. Many businesses were thrown headfirst into entirely working from home, some adopting a more flexible or blended approach. With widespread working from home set to continue in 2021, we can look at how we can start to improve our remote working.

One challenge that came hand in hand with working from home was the more common use of online meeting. Some businesses have been using videoconferencing as a way to reduce travel and save time for a while now, but not at the same rate at which it has become recently.

One study actually showed that 30% of organisations worldwide began using web conferencing for the first time due to COVID-19. As online meeting become the new normal for the foreseeable future, here are 6 tips to ensure that you still have a productive meeting, even if you are still a little unsure.

1. Check Internet Connection is Reliable

There is nothing worse and more distracting than logging into a video call and everyone’s faces freezing every two seconds. Not to mention the frustration when you only catch the first half of someone’s inevitably important sentence. This is why you need to make sure that you have a reliable internet connection.

If you can’t get this from home, consider a solution such as a serviced office from BE Offices. The serviced offices from BE Offices come equipped with guaranteed high-speed roaming Wi-Fi, 10GB internet pipes and backup line, and the option to add an additional pay-per-use video conferencing service with increased bandwidth and additional meeting room usage.

2. Have a Clear Agenda

Go into the meeting with a clear, pre-prepared, and preferably pre-distributed agenda. This allows everyone time to prepare discussion points before coming to the meeting, which will ensure that you make the most productive use of your time.

3. Be in a Quiet Place

We all remember that viral video of a father being interrupted by his kids on live BBC News. As amusing as that was at the time, you certainly don’t want it to happen to you, and definitely not in front of your boss! Make sure to take the meeting in a quiet place where there will be no interruptions.

4. Communicate Clearly

Talking over the internet is not always the easiest thing to do. Meetings can be full of stops and starts and interruptions as everyone gets used to this new medium. Therefore, when it is your turn to talk, make sure to communicate your points clearly and effectively.

5. Take Notes

Note-taking is essential, not only in online meetings but in all kinds of conferences. Taking notes will help you to understand the things that are being said, type up the minutes if this is your job, and give you something to refer back to once the meeting is over.

6. Keep it Slow

Like the hare and the tortoise, slow and steady wins the race. It is okay if you don’t take to online meetings immediately, everyone learns at their own pace. Take things slow and steady, gaining more confidence every day. By following these tips, you will have productive online meetings in no time.

Read Also:

• How to Lead Remote Work to Success With Technology
• Simple hacks to make sure your employees stay healthy during the pandemic