Introduction
Virtual meetings are an unavoidable part of the modern workplace. They can be the most efficient way to communicate with colleagues and clients all over the world. However, just because a meeting is virtual does not mean that it should be treated any differently than a traditional in-person meeting. The same rules apply when it comes to setting up a virtual meeting:
Put Your Video Camera On
- Test your webcam. Make sure that it works, and that you can see everyone in the meeting.
- Adjust your camera so that you can see everyone in the meeting. You may need to move it closer to yourself or away from yourself to avoid glare, shadows, or reflections on other surfaces like glass windows or walls.
- Use a headset microphone if possible so others can hear you clearly during the meeting.
Come Prepared Ahead Of Time
Preparing ahead of time is the most important step you can take to make sure your virtual meeting goes smoothly. Before joining any meeting, you should:
- Have a list of any necessary materials that need to be shared with other participants (such as PDFs or documents).
- Have a list of any phone numbers that may be useful during the call (such as the number for a coworker who might know the answer to an unknown question).
- Have access to websites and documents that might be helpful in answering questions during your virtual meeting (including relevant portions of these sites/documents).
- Check beforehand if anyone has questions they want answered during the call. If so, write down what those are so that you’re prepared when someone asks about them! You should also bring along answers for these questions if possible.
Knock Out All Background Noise
When you’re attending a virtual meeting, it’s important to be on your best behavior and make sure that you’re not distracting your colleagues. The best way to do this is by eliminating any noises in the background that could potentially distract from the meeting. Here are some great ideas for what to do:
- Turn off the TV
- Turn off the radio
- Turn off the music (no one wants to hear you jamming out)
- Turn off your phone when it rings (if you can’t, mute or put it on silent mode)
- If there’s a baby in your house, take care of them first—they should not be crying during an important meeting! Is there someone with them? Ask them if they would mind taking care of it while you attend this meeting. If there isn’t someone else available at home who can help out with this issue, then maybe consider calling into work sick until they’re done crying…or call into work late if need be! There are always exceptions when dealing with babies so don’t feel bad about doing whatever necessary here because sometimes people don’t want other people listening in on their conversations anyway–so why waste time worrying about whether or not others will think less of us because we didn’t stick around? Just remember those who aren’t present don’t necessarily know what happened behind closed doors anyways.”
Mute Yourself When You Are Not Speaking
- Use the mute button to mute yourself when you are not speaking.
- Use the mute button to mute yourself when you are on a break.
- Use the mute button to mute yourself when you are not participating in the meeting.
Do Not Interrupt Others
Interrupting is one of the worst etiquette violations. Many people have been interrupted in meetings before, and it can be extremely frustrating to have your opinion cut off by someone else’s interruption.
It’s important to remember that when you’re entering a meeting, you are there as a guest of your company or organization. You should be respectful of others and their time by not interrupting them unnecessarily. If you need to get something across during the meeting, do so politely by asking if it’s okay or if there is a way for you to interject at this moment in time without interrupting anyone else in attendance. Also ask if you are allowed to interrupt with questions when appropriate; this will keep everyone on track with where they were previously going with their comments rather than having them stop mid-sentence because someone else asked for clarification about something unrelated.
Do Not Use Virtual Meeting Time For Your Own Personal Calls Or Side Conversations
- Do Not Use Virtual Meeting Time For Your Own Personal Calls Or Side Conversations
If you have something personal to take care of, it’s best to do so before or after the meeting. You don’t want to be caught off guard when someone asks you a question or needs an answer right away. If you must make a call, send an email and wait until after the meeting.
Be Kind To Everyone In Attendance
- Be Respectful of Others’ Time
- Be Respectful of Others’ Opinions
- Be Respectful of Others’ Contributions
- Be Respectful of Others’ Needs
- Be Respectful of Others’ Feelings (including yours)
- Be Respectful of Other Ideas
Be Mindful With Other’s Time And Attention
- Be Mindful of Other’s Time and Attention
We’re all busy people, with lots on our plates. You should be mindful of the time others spend providing you with their attention, as well as the sensitivity that comes with asking for it. If you have a question that can wait until after the meeting is over or another time when everyone isn’t focused on what’s being discussed, ask at that time instead of during it. Additionally:
- Don’t Waste Time
It’s easy to get caught up in conversations about things other than what you’re supposed to be discussing during meetings (or even virtual meetings), but if there are other people who want your attention and need an answer from you right now—and they aren’t getting one because they’re waiting around while someone else is talking —they might think less highly of you and your professional capabilities down the road. When possible, try not to engage in side conversations unless they are truly relevant; otherwise keep them short and sweet so that everyone can get back on track quickly (and without tension).
- Don’t Be A Distraction
There may come a point where someone interrupts another person without realizing it — maybe because they’re still new around here or maybe because they had something else going on during the conversation — but either way this can be distracting for both parties involved! So remember: only interrupt when absolutely necessary; otherwise let others finish their sentence before interjecting yourself into their discussion too early on.”
Focus On The Meeting At Hand, Not On Other Work Projects Or Tasks
- Focus on the meeting at hand.
- Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by other work projects or tasks during the meeting, as this will prevent you from contributing as much to the conversation.
These best practices for virtual meetings will help keep everyone in attendance focused, on point and ready to contribute.
The following best practices for virtual meetings will help keep everyone in attendance focused, on point and ready to contribute.
- Respect the other participants’ time: When you schedule a meeting, be mindful of the needs of others. If possible, try to find a time where no one has to miss lunch or travel across town. If there’s no other option but to meet at an inconvenient hour for several people, offer an incentive like pizza or beer after.
- Respect your meeting space: With so many remote workers out there today, it’s easy to forget that your physical office may well have been designed with impromptu meetings in mind—and that means there’s probably a lot more open space than desks! The ideal setup for most meetings with three or fewer people is an U-shaped configuration; if you’re going with four or more participants consider putting some unused chairs (or even another table) in the middle of the U shape so everyone can see each other better and have their voices heard equally.
Conclusion
The next time you are invited to a virtual meeting, make sure to follow these etiquette guidelines. This will help ensure that everyone is on the same page and ready to contribute their ideas.