Etiquette - Do’s and Don’ts of Virtual Meetings
The COVID-19 pandemic is having a fundamental and global shift in the way we work. It is forcing the world to adapt to a remote/virtual working environment, which in and of itself is not a bad thing. Working remotely has many benefits such as flexibility (work life balance), cost reduction (need for less office space) as well as the ability to effectively collaborate and discuss with individuals globally.
I am continually receiving email updates of companies from all types of industries advising that they are now moving 100% to an online presence to deliver their services until in some cases to April 2021.
Whether organizations are ready or not, we are going virtual. Everyone for that matter will have to adapt quickly to this business change and do so in a way that is still productive overall.
Fortunately, most companies were already prepared with a Disaster Recovery Plan albeit that no one thought this would have been triggered by a pandemic.
To help you adapt during this transitionary period and present your best self at work I have shortlisted some standards of etiquette to follow for your virtual or face-to-face meetings. These have been transformational for my clients and I think you will find them very useful too.
DO’s
Do conduct relevant checks before the scheduled videoconferencing:
If you are the meeting coordinator you should test the microphone and video ahead of the call. Check the videoconferencing system in advance of the meeting so you can address any issues.
Do dress appropriately and be on time: Like face-to-face meetings, be particularly mindful that you are dressed appropriately for your video conference. Check your cameras well ahead of meeting to ensure there are no embarrassing surprises. Dress for work even though you are at home. It’s a shift in mindset. Be on time and make sure to check your dial-in instructions well in advance.
Tips: (1) Log unto the conference call at least 5 minutes early to ensure you are prepared to start promptly. (2) You should be aware by now that wearing your PJs is not appropriate (3) Be professional as you wait for the meeting to officially start; others may be logging in early as well and you want to be professionally ready. Image does matter, so be mindful of this.
Do Create an appropriate professional environment: Ensure that you have a space that is professional looking. If you do not have an office at home, be creative and find a space in your home that could be adapted temporarily as an office space such as a spare room or a playroom etc.
Tip: Avoid loud clicking clocks and position your camera to focus on you. Discuss this change in work practice with your family and explain what would be required of them during such times. Make arrangements ahead of time to take care of any barking dogs or crying babies etc.- check out this Youtube video that highlights the need for this precaution https://youtu.be/Mh4f9AYRCZY
Do Set an Agenda: An agenda will ensure that everyone is kept focused. The purpose of the meeting will be clear, and your time will be well managed. An agenda will also allow for successful collaboration and will make the best use of everyone’s time. Your virtual meetings will be short and sweet.
Tip: Send out presentations and agendas in advance of meeting so participants can have them ready when the meeting begins.
Don’ts
Don’t multitask and interrupt speakers: Try to resist the urge of doing several things while you are on a virtual meeting call. According to a survey by Raindance Communications, 70% of people do unrelated work, 50% read or send emails, and 36% mute the call to talk to someone else while on a video call. Think very carefully about timing of comments or questions to ensure that you are not interrupting the speaker – you may have to factor in any delay in voices and this can be tricky.
Tip: It may be best to email any questions after the call.
Do: Speak clearly and concisely: Be sure to pronounce your words clearly– muffled microphones and poor speakers can impact how well people understand you. Keep your points brief and to the point.
Pause after questions and statements. Sometimes there is a time delay between participants, so you want to allow sufficient time to hear the complete exchange so you respond appropriately. Begin with their name and then wait to start explaining or asking your question.
Tip: You can raise a hand when using a webcam.
Do Take steps to have fully engaged participants: These steps will ensure that participants’ minds are not distracted during important meetings where high levels of productivity is critical. A recent HBR article on March 9, 2020 identified 5 rules that when applied, 86% of participants report as high or higher levels of engagement as in face-to-face meetings. This include: ‘The 60 Second Rule’, ‘The Nowhere to Hide Rule’, ‘The MVP Rule’ and ‘The 5 Minute Rule’.
Tip: For further details read HBR article at: https://hbr.org/2020/03/how-to-get-people-to-actually-participate-in-virtual-meetings
By employing these rules of etiquette, you and your team can be professional and productive during this time of highly unusual circumstances. As coaches, we are trained to operate very well in a remote working environment and so we will find what might appear to be a disruption of service for many to be a normal way of doing business for us.
Conclusion:
Whilst companies are still figuring out the rules and etiquette for conducting business online, this pandemic is now requiring the whole world to adapt 100% to an online or remote presence. It is better to be safe than sorry and adopt the same behaviour as you would during a face-to-face meeting–always with the utmost professionalism.
It will be interesting to see if working predominantly on a remote or virtual basis will become the ‘new normal’ and how these soft skills described above will help to enhance your professionalism and performance going forward.
