Virtual meetings have become the norm in today’s fast-paced and interconnected world. While the convenience of remote collaboration is undeniable, it comes with unique challenges, particularly in keeping attendees engaged. Let’s explore some tried and tested strategies that can help attendees actively participate and contribute in online meetings.
Use Interactive Tools: Utilize various interactive tools and software such as Slido to engage attendees. Features like polls, breakout rooms, and quizzes can foster participation and collaboration. Giving activities to your virtual team can increase engagement.
Encourage Pre-meeting Contributions: Invite attendees to share their thoughts or questions in advance. This encourages proactive engagement and allows you to tailor the meeting to their needs.
Designate Discussion Roles: Assign roles within the meeting, such as a timekeeper, a devil’s advocate or a summariser. This promotes diverse participation and online team building as well as preventing one or two individuals from dominating the conversation.
Visual Aids and Multimedia: Switch between visual aids, such as slides, infographics, and videos. These can help maintain interest and comprehension during the meeting.
Vary Meeting Formats: Break the monotony of traditional video conferences by experimenting with different meeting formats. Try panel discussions, debates, or brainstorming sessions to keep things fresh and engaging. These can become engaging virtual team-building activities for attendees.
Encourage Active Note-Taking: Encourage participants to take notes during the virtual meeting and to share them afterwards. This not only boosts engagement but also provides valuable insights for future discussions.
In conclusion, virtual meetings are here to stay, and they offer incredible opportunities for online team-building, collaboration and productivity. However, to make the most of these interactions, it’s essential to go beyond the surface level of turning cameras on and foster a culture of engagement and active participation. By providing a well-structured agenda, utilising interactive tools, and encouraging varied formats, you can ensure that your virtual meetings are not just effective but also engaging, promoting meaningful contributions from all attendees.
If you would like more information or training in Managing meetings, please call JEM Training on 1300 850 959
