The Do’s and Don’ts of Video Conferencing
With remote work moving from being simply a commonly accepted practice to the norm, it’s also led to a rise in the number of video conferences remote teams are engaging in. Video conferencing is a great way for remote teams to communicate. It allows them to hear and see each other, capturing facial expressions and body language you can’t perceive during a teleconference. But for teams who don’t actively participate in video conferences, there can be something of a transition involved as you incorporate them into your team’s regularly scheduled meetings.
Video conferencing has a distinctive set of best practices you can follow to ensure your meetings flow effectively and are productive for everyone involved. Below are some do’s and don’ts you and your team can follow when you engage in video conferencing.
Do send a meeting invite with all pertinent information
Your team can’t attend the meeting if they don’t know when it is and what platform it’s on. Make sure you send out an email invite via Outlook, Google calendar, or whatever communication tool you use. The invite should include the date, time, and a link to the virtual meeting room. You can also include downloading instructions to be sure everyone has the same software.
Haven’t selected a type of video conferencing platform yet? Looking for one that compliments the rest of your IT systems? Consider polling your team members to figure out which ones they like best. If you pick something the majority of the team is familiar with, it may help you cut down on troubleshooting issues later.
Don’t expect the team to know how to use the platform without proper training
Whatever platform you decide on, there may be members of your team who haven’t used it before. Or maybe you have team members who have used it but need a refresher course. Before your first video conference, send them a website link, YouTube video, or a PDF file with instructions on how to use the platform. The video conferencing system should have some sort of troubleshooting assistance available so you likely won’t have to put this together yourself.
Assume everyone on your team is approaching this as a newcomer. That way, even if they’re well-versed in the platform, they can save this resource as a reference in case they ever run into issues with it.
Do designate one person as your video conferencing guru
Most of your team members will only need to know how to log in and use the system to participate in the call. But you’ll want to designate one person as the “host” of the call. This person should have proficiency with your video conferencing software. They should know how to mute lines, share their screen, and how to allow other participants to share their screens as well. Having one designated video conference “guru” will cut down on the time you spend troubleshooting. They can manage any problems that arise quickly so you can get back to the video conference itself.
Don’t schedule the video conference for too long
Schedule a call for as long as you need to reach your desired outcome (which can be done in anywhere from 15-30 minutes if you work efficiently). Holding a video conference for too long can run the risk of some of your team members either losing interest or having to leave due to a schedule conflict. Of course, you should schedule the call for as long as you need depending on the topic in question. But don’t waste time during the meeting, stay on topic and on task so you can work through the discussion as quickly as possible.
Do remind everyone they’ll be on camera
When your team is working remotely, they likely won’t all be dressed for the office. You may have some team members in jeans or sweats. Depending on your company’s policies, that may be acceptable. But it helps to remind everyone prior to the call that they will, in fact, be on camera. That way, they’ll make sure to dress appropriately.
Reminding your team they’ll be on the camera will also help them prepare their workspace for a video conference. They can separate themselves from their children and families in a home office environment, cutting down on disruptions like crying children or pets running around in the background.
Don’t be surprised if distractions happen
All the reminders in the world aren’t going to stop something from eventually happening in the background of one of your team members’ video conferences. If your employees don’t typically work from home, remember that they have lives going on that may insert themselves into your meeting. Try to move on from it as quickly as possible, and be ready for anything to happen.
When something does happen, gently reassure your team that it’s not a big deal – this will put them at ease and hopefully contribute to a more productive meeting if they’re not worried about external interruptions.
Do expect connection disruptions
If the majority of your team members are joining from home, they’ll likely be connected via their home WiFi service. Those have a habit of being intermittently disconnected. This is going to happen on occasion. Like with other distractions, learn to roll with it and allow your team members a long leash when it comes to this. if they have recurring disconnections, it may be time to have a talk about the reliability of their home internet.
Don’t forget to tell them to mute their lines
One of the cardinal sins of video conferencing is having team members forget to mute their lines. While some cross-talk can be expected, if one person is giving a presentation, encourage everyone to mute themselves. There should be a blanket reminder at the outset of the call for anyone not speaking to hit the mute button. This limits the amount of background noise the other attendees will hear. Depending on where your team members are located, this can be very distracting.
Do encourage participation
While you may have one person facilitating the call, the reason you’re video conferencing is to encourage participation and collaboration. It’s one thing if it’s an educational webinar with a single presenter. But if it’s a true video conference, actively remind your team members their contributions are welcome. Call on people if you have to. It’s an interactive format that allows for multiple voices to be heard.
If one person is doing the majority of the talking, it defeats the purpose of meeting via video conference. Frequently pause to ask people for their opinions.
Don’t veer too far off track
You’ll want to have an agenda in place for your video conference beforehand. Make sure to include every topic you want to address, the main speaker who will be addressing each one, and the amount of time you have dedicated to each topic. Allow for time to handle a Q&A session for each topic, but make sure at least one person in the meeting is responsible for guiding you through the agenda. This will help your team meet more efficiently without wasting time.
A video conference is a great opportunity to unite remote workers who otherwise wouldn’t get to see each other, but like any meeting, it can be hard to manage if you get too far off-topic. Encourage conversation, but stay on track with a well-defined agenda.
Do circulate a recap afterward
Once your video conference is concluded, let everyone know you’ll follow up with a brief recap. In this recap you’ll want to include the following:
- A list of attendees (if it’s not too long. If it’s an all-hands meeting or webinar you won’t have to worry about this)
- The major topics of conversation covered
- The major decisions reached during the call
- A list of action items that include the requested action, responsible party, and deadline for completion
This provides your video conferences with a sense of finality and importance. You’re not just gathering for the sake of it – you have concrete objectives you need to reach. It will remind people that your video conferences are valuable and results-driven.
Don’t neglect to schedule the next video conference
Once you’ve followed up with a recap for your team members, either A) tell them the date of your next video conference or B) poll them for times they’ll be available. Depending on what kind of call it is, you may need a follow-up video conference to discuss the next steps. Make sure you share that information with your team as quickly as possible.
Do select an IT provider who can help guide you on issues like this
Following the best practices outlined above will help you hold seamless, productive video conferences. But you may need the help of an IT service provider who can guide you through the process of implementing video conferencing into your greater suite of IT solutions. For those questions, look no further than Applied Innovations. We can give you comprehensive solutions to your on-premise or Remote IT support needs. For more on how we can get started, contact us today!
