Posted

Virtual teams working dispersed together

These days, remote meetings have become an integral component of any workflow, and in certain teams whose members are located all over the world, it’s the only method of communication being utilized.

Face-to-face meetings are often considered more productive than remote ones by managers—true, generally. But, it’s quite inevitable these days for remote collaborations to be adopted.

Naturally, in order to improve the productivity of remote meetings and to make certain that your workers get just as much out of them as they do from face-to-face sessions, these virtual meetings need to be interesting because it’s quite easy for participants to tune out if such meetings lack engagement. 

But, how can you make online meetings more fun and engaging?  Here’s how:

1. Choose The Right Virtual Meeting Platform

First, choose an online meeting platform that fits your business needs. This software can be used to host meetings, presentations, virtual happy hour, team building activities, competitions, or any other type of event.

Give your team the resources they need to truly interact and engage. Whatever industry you belong to, there are options to bring your team, clients, and business partners closer together.

Consider what’s needed for your online meeting. Will it be necessary for you to handle large audiences?  Do you need to observe people’s responses?  Or, do you share screens or use other forms of media during your meetings?  What about a questions and answers section?

Regardless of the conditions, conduct an audit of your requirements, prioritize the factors that will bring your team closer together, and find the right virtual meeting software.

2. Bring On Some Entertainment

Meetings can be made more enjoyable for everyone concerned by having fun activities at the start or anywhere else during the session. These could be straightforward inquiries or activities that all participants can engage in, which can stimulate their creative side. You can then work to maintain that level of participation throughout the meeting once you’ve accomplished step one. 

You can try the following:

  • Take A Picture Of Your Shoes. Picture your shoes. Before the meeting, ask team members to share shoe photos. Start the conversation by asking each attendee about their choice and the story behind it.  One might wear running shoes because they like athletics, or flip-flops because they travel a lot. You can customize this activity by requesting each team member to take a snap of an item on their workstation and then discuss it.
  • Online Games. These could be something as easy as Rock, Paper, Scissors, or could be an online quiz game. But, as the person in charge of hosting the meeting, it’s your responsibility to ensure that the games don’t become unfriendly or encourage unhealthy levels of rivalry in the workplace. Otherwise, it’ll wind up defeating the purpose of having fun.
  • Short Dance Party. You have the option of holding your virtual dance as a separate event or incorporating it into an existing gathering as a brief session lasting one to two minutes. You don’t need sophisticated moves; simply dance to the beat. Dancing can help eliminate awkward silences, boost energy, and enhance teamwork during team meetings.

3. Assign Team Members To Host The Virtual Meeting

Building camaraderie isn’t complicated, but it takes work. Try rotating team hosts. This promotes participation and fresh ideas.   Encourage members to acknowledge each other at the beginning and end of meetings. Don’t overthink things—it’s nothing more than a get-together. And, as a leader, there are moments when you should step aside and let your team members conduct meetings on their own.

4. Have An Online Lunch Date

During lunchtime, you can connect with one another via video conferencing. Members of the team have the option of paying out a few dollars so that they can participate in the activity from the comfort of their favorite restaurant, have food delivered to their house, or stir up something delicious in their own kitchen.

Do you only have 15 to 20 minutes to spare?  Relax. Options include virtual coffee conversations and happy hours.

5. Have A Free Talk

This approach is to prepare your own lunch-and-learn, and then give your peers the opportunity to lead their own discussions. Everyone has a skill, interest, or knowledge about a topic that they aren’t using to their full potential. Because of this activity, they’ll have the chance to speak with their teammates on the topic they’re passionate about, and they’re free to discuss anything, from Game of Thrones to pool scuba diving.

6. Be Brief And Direct To The Point

The most effective measure you can take to boost participation is to reduce the number of people who attend meetings and the amount of time they spend there. When there are more individuals on a call, the likelihood of some people tuning out increases. Allow them to log off if they don’t have a reason to be there. Given that attendees of virtual meetings have a shorter attention span, the meeting itself should be shortened. Also, you shouldn’t try to jam too many different topics into one call at the same time.

7. Make Use Of Visual Elements

The lack of visual presence is a problem in virtual meetings. When on a video call, people are constantly checking their own faces to see if their facial expressions and body language are appropriate. What if, instead, you’re able to communicate more effectively through the use of eye-catching visuals?

You may, for instance, add animated GIFs and other digital props to your camera in order to make your virtual meetings more entertaining. You might also use videos as your virtual background to ensure that everything connects together and conveys the intended meaning.

video meeting concept drawing

8. Request Feedback From The Attendees

Online meeting feedback is utterly important. Know what went well, what went wrong, how things could have been better, and what you could do differently the next time. You’ll be able to fine-tune your virtual meeting by collecting such inputs, which will allow you to effectively engage your team, improve attendance, increase productivity, and foster connections. 

Conclusion

Regardless of how long your virtual meeting is, you may use these techniques to encourage participation, drive engagement, and add fun. Due to the nature of remote work setups, teammates have fewer opportunities for camaraderie and enjoyment. However, by adding interesting and fun elements to your next virtual meetings may increase employee morale and build teamwork.