Nowadays, it is not uncommon for a company to have employees work – sometimes exclusively – from a remote location. While some of these employees may just be a quick trip down the street from headquarters, others could be based a substantial geographical distance away.
Then you have the in-house crew, those who either perform better within the structure of an office space, or whose roles largely prohibit them from frequently working out of a remote location.
No matter who might be where, though, it is the company’s responsibility to see team meetings happen. Savvy managers understand that a big key to success in business is quality communication. As such, many have turned to video conference solutions to ensure staff – no matter where each member resides – can have personalized, face-to-face interactions.
When these individuals are brought together for virtual meetings, they shouldn’t just be in the ‘room’ to check off an attendance box. Rather, they should make the most out of these online meetings by doing the following:
Conducting Video Calls on a Consistent Schedule
Since staff is often busy with multiple day in, day out commitments, having a firm, consistent virtual meeting schedule is important. After all, the absence of certain staff members can really have a negative impact on the advancement of certain projects.
By having planned out virtual staff meetings each week, everyone who needs to be there will – by and large – be online and ready to contribute. This will help each staff member stay up to speed with what’s going on and feel much more comfortable about the status of ongoing tasks. This is especially crucial for those who are never required to work from the office.
Participating in Productive Dialogue
During the scheduled live video chats online, every staff member involved should find an opportunity to contribute to the discussions being had.
Now, this is not to say a young, inexperienced employee should weigh in on a matter that should only be discussed by upper management. But, the goal for each staff member should be to keep an ear out for the time in which they should jump in and contribute to the virtual meeting.
By staying silent throughout, a staff member risks the possibility of appearing disinterested, or unequipped to provide valuable insights for project and/or company initiatives. Instead, speaking up early and often shows others that the team member is wholly ready to contribute whenever possible.
Finding Ways to Bond
Naturally, staff video calls should be focused on discussing important business matters. However, that doesn’t mean everyone should be robotic and personality-free.
For those not working at the office, it is often hard for others to get a true sense for what an individual is all about. This, unfortunately, can hinder professional relationships and subsequently the work a team needs to complete to satisfy management’s expectations.
By having openings for casual conversation during staff video conferences, the team will be able to learn more about one another and bond over similar experiences or interests.
Treating This Time as an Opportunity for Assistance
Everyone who has worked any job has had that moment of feeling absolutely lost in a task. When working remotely, finding assistance at such a juncture can be paralyzing.
Fortunately, regular staff virtual meetings can be the forum used to seek clarity on a project’s focus, as well as what an individual is responsible for. The thing is, seeking assistance is not a weakness. In fact, it shows others on the video call that a team member wants to do right by those they work with.
