There are two words a lot of people never like to see sitting side-by-side: 'Friday,' and 'meeting.' When these words are seen together in an email, a cold chill creeps up the backs of those who just wanted to tighten the screws on a few projects and ease into the weekend.
After all, isn’t Friday normally the day in which a large chunk of the workforce is out of gas and terrified about being called upon for a highly intelligent thought? Perhaps.
However, there are those members of a company’s staff that know how to make Friday work from a productivity standpoint, and expect others on the team to be right there beside them.
If you are that kind of an ultra-focused-all-week business type, here’s how to make virtual meetings on a Friday more appealing to others:
Have Video Calls Earlier, than Later
When a Friday staff meeting is imperative, plan to host it early in the day. Aim for a mid-morning time slot, as this will allow members of the team to go through their emails and get themselves organized for the day ahead. Brains will still be fresh, thus more positive contributions will occur.
If you book a late Friday afternoon video meeting, you’re asking for trouble. Yes, people will of course still show up for them, but they will likely not be as raring to go as they would’ve been in the morning.
Keep These Virtual Meetings Brief
Unless you want to toy with the possibility of a staff-led mutiny, avoid hosting a multi-hour video conferencing engagement on a Friday.
Your team has worked hard all week and committing them to a meeting that runs longer than a Star Wars movie is not exactly showing them your appreciation. Of course, your team shouldn’t expect a pat on the back every Friday for doing their jobs. But, they should also not expect to have their butts kicked into a sprawling Friday meeting – online, or otherwise.
Don’t Overbook Anyone
If you feel the need to host multiple virtual meetings on a Friday, keep an eye on who will need to be involved in them. Doing so will make it less likely that you are committing a member of your team to multiple meetings on a day where they have assignments that need completion.
The best way to avoid this circumstance as a team leader is to determine at the beginning of your week which meetings need to be had. If you see that many of them feature similar participants, try to spread them out as best as possible. This will help ensure individuals are not overbooked on a Friday.
Make the Meeting Engaging and Interactive
As much as you can, try to make any meeting you host through an online meeting platform engaging and interactive – especially on a Friday. Even if certain staff members are groggy on a Friday, that doesn’t mean they will not be excited by a virtual meeting with more flare than usual.
By making Friday meetings an entertaining, yet informative experience, your team will respond in a very positive manner. Conversely, if you use a video conferencing solution for business to deliver a dryer-than-sandpaper presentation, interest will be lost rapidly.
Banty has several video call solutions available for business and personal use. Tap here for a look at our offerings and take advantage of the 14-day trial period for all new users.
Banty meetings can be accessed on all desktop web browsers, as well as through our video chat apps for iOS and Android mobile devices.
