Long before COVID-19 made working from home mandatory and the preferable choice for a lot of employees, remote videoconferencing was already well on its way to becoming a fast-growing trend across various business sectors. The world is currently immersed in a massive state of uncertainty due to the pandemic, but COVID-19 has also proven that human beings can be incredibly innovative and resourceful when the occasion calls for it. Videoconferencing technology is proof of that.
Not everyone is able to work strictly from home. Some key office personnel such as executives and management staff may still be required to come into the office every day. That’s where advanced videoconferencing technology can be a huge benefit. It provides top-level executives with the ability to easily communicate with their remote working staff—but only if it’s executed correctly.
Here is a list of our top eight tips to help you keep your videoconferencing meeting professional and productive.
1. Select a Reliable and Secure Videoconferencing Platform
Whether your videoconferencing meeting involves two people or two dozen people, you need a reliable and secure platform to ensure strong network connectivity and privacy. End-to-end encryption ensures that not even the software providers will have access to your meetings.
Software providers also give you the option of encrypting your meetings with password access-only setups to prevent uninvited guests from trying to get into your virtual meeting. Schedule the meeting for a specific date and time. Then create a virtual waiting room area where early attendees will have to wait until the meeting starts. This is another effective method to prevent uninvited guests from getting in because it allows you to view everyone who signs in beforehand.
2. Choose a Suitable Meeting Space Rental
If you’re one of those people that doesn’t have the option to work from home, then you need to choose a suitable meeting space rental in your area that has everything you need for your videoconference. Access to IT support, network setups, technological equipment are all necessary components to a successful videoconference. Above all else, however, you need a clean, organized, and private space where you and your team can be productive.
3. Set a Meeting Agenda
Setting an agenda ahead of time keeps your meeting on track, ensures organization, and guarantees that all attendees are always on the same page. It helps maintain order, without which your meeting can easily get sidetracked by small talk and other distractions. Maintaining control of large meetings can be difficult as it is, but doing so virtually comes with its own set of unique challenges.
Technical difficulties and lack of concentration are just two of the challenges you may face. Planning out the meeting ahead of time and sending out a memo or email about what the topic of the meeting will be gives people plenty of time to prepare and do the necessary research.
4. Test Your Physical Setup to Find the Right Angle
You want your coworkers to get a clear view of your face and whiteboard presentations you be doing during the meeting. Clear out any excess items from your workspace or videoconference area that may obstruct their view and make sure your monitor is setup at an angle where everyone can see you.
It’s better to do this beforehand, so you don’t waste any time making adjustments during the meeting.
5. Make Sure Your Technology Is Working
Check to make sure that all of your equipment is in proper working condition prior to the meeting. Make sure you have strong Internet connectivity to avoid getting disconnected partway through the meeting. Test your audio and visual equipment as well to make sure it’s working properly and make any necessary volume or brightness adjustments before the meeting starts.
Give yourself plenty of time to setup and test out the equipment before the meeting in case there are any kinks that need to be worked out ahead of time. Again, this will help keep things on track and ensure everything goes according to plan during the meeting.
6. Remove All Potential Distractions from the Room
Once meeting attendees get distracted, it can be hard to get them back on track. This goes for people participating in the meeting from home as well as those who are in a private executive office. Try to keep your background as plain and free of distractions as possible. Remove colourful noisy items that may cause a disturbance or act as a distinctive focal point of interest. If you have kids and are working from home, try to keep them in a separate room. It’s best to sit in front of a blank wall with nothing behind you, so that your coworkers won’t get easily distracted.
7. Treat Videoconferencing Like a Normal Business Meeting
Things may not be business as usual right now, but you still have to maintain an air of professionalism when holding or attending business meetings. Dress for the occasion as if you were attending a meeting at the office (and yes, people will know if you’re bottom half doesn’t match your top half).
Use proper meeting etiquette. Listen when other people are speaking and wait for your turn to respond or speak. This is where setting a meeting agenda or outline comes in handy as it ensures that everyone gets a chance to voice their input.
8. Use the Mute Button
When other people are speaking, turn on the mute button to avoid any background noises from your end from being heard by your colleagues. The mute button is an absolute godsend for holding remote meetings because it ensures that your colleagues and clients won’t hear any background noise in your home such as embarrassing things your kids say, music, or TV.
Innovative Professional Offices wants to make conference room rentals in Mississauga and Ottawa as easy as possible for our clients during these difficult times. We provide expert hybrid office solutions that allow top-level executives to continue working in a private and professional setting while maintaining strong communications with their remote working staff. Our offices are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis to ensure your health and safety. Contact us today to learn more.
