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Table Of Contents

Video Meeting Tips For Remote Teams

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Table Of Contents

A vast majority of people work remotely or, at least, collaborate with someone who’s physically away. During the pandemic number of people who video conference skyrocketed, and by some reports video conferencing tools will have an estimated worth of $19 billion by 2025. Since this trend is not going away anytime soon, we decided to provide you with a few video meeting tips to help you make the most of remote work.

Why is it important to know how to hold video meetings?

Have you heard about Zoom fatigue? A lot has been said about it in newspaper articles, especially during the first lockdown when we started to use video calls more frequently. However, in case you missed it, it’s proven that video chats indeed make us more tired.

Simply, video chatting requires more focus compared to usual, face-to-face interactions. That happens because our brains have to work harder to process non-verbal cues like facial expressions, the tone and pitch of the voice, and body language. Paying attention to all of this drains our energy much faster than if we were in the same room.

That said, mastering video conferencing might help reduce the fatigue we feel over it, and help us get things done much faster and more productively. Here, you can find some useful video meeting tips you can use to maximize productivity and minimize side effects. 

Invite relevant people only. 

Since we already know how tiring video calls can be, we understand why it is important to invite only relevant people to attend. Overall, inviting those who’re not directly concerned with a meeting’s topic will only decrease the workplace’s productivity and effectiveness of the meeting. 

That said, before you start planning the meeting, make sure to have a list of people who should be there, along with the reasons why their presence is required.

Prepare the agenda and send it before the meeting. 

One of the most useful video meeting tips we can give you is to prepare the agenda before the meeting (ideally one or two days before) and send it over to participants. If they know what will be discussed during the meeting, they will be more likely to stay engaged during the meeting and ask useful questions that can make remote work much easier and more productive.

Record a meeting.

It’s not uncommon for people to forget things, even if they’re genuinely interested in the topic. That’s why recording a meeting is among the most useful video meeting tips you’ll get. That way, if someone becomes uncertain about some details that were discussed during a meeting, he can watch it without having to ask coworkers and rely on their memory. Recording meetings can also be beneficial for those who cannot attend them, as they’ll be able to get updates. 

Ask for feedback. 

Companies shouldn’t underestimate the power of proper feedback, as it might help them achieve their goals faster. After every meeting, managers should ensure that everyone is on the same page or something that needs to be clarified.

Adopt a mandatory video-on policy

Adopting a mandatory video-on policy can go a long way since communication is much more effective when we can see someone’s non-verbal cues. Simply what you say doesn’t always equal how you say it, and seeing a person’s face can make a difference. Furthermore, it has been proven that people respond well to faces – facial expressions humanize virtual meetings and ensure the message is well sent and received. Lastly, by turning on video during a call, participants cannot do other things simultaneously, and their full focus will be on the meeting, ensuring everything is clear and understood.

Keep them short and sweet

One of the most useful video meeting tips anyone can give you is to keep them short and concise. Generally, meetings that last anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes are considered to be the most productive, since people’s attention span lasts about as much. Longer meetings can only make more harm than good, and they’ll drain people’s energy and decrease their overall productivity. 

Summarize and make plans

Make sure to summarize what’s been said during the meeting, including deadlines, tasks, and how they’re distributed to team members. If you organized a meeting, you should ensure everyone knows what the next steps are and whether you need a follow-up anytime soon.

Keep the etiquette in check

One of the most important things to remember while holding video conference meetings is that you’re in a meeting. That said, you should ensure you spread your attention equally as if you were in the same room. Furthermore, no matter how casual you are – don’t eat, smoke or text during a meeting as it might be distracting for others. And it’s disrespectful as well!

Use visuals

By the Prezi survey, around 85 percent of US and UK employees find meetings more engaging and interesting if videos or graphs are shown in them. What’s more, people are more likely to remember things from a meeting when the presenter and the content are shown simultaneously. That said if you have to crunch some numbers during video meetings, show it visually, as it is the best way to engage participants and ensure they will remember what you were talking about.

Final takeaway

Video meetings are hardly science. However, there are some do’s and don’ts of video conferencing that will make your (work)day much easier. We do hope you found our tips interesting, and that you will apply some of them during your next video meeting.

Ana Mladenovic
Ana Mladenovic

A cat enthusiast and a cupcake maniac, Ana is a freelance Content Writer passionate about HR, productivity, and team management topics. When she’s not at her keyboard, you can find Ana in the kitchen, trying to make delicious cookies.

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