In SEA countries like Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, etc., hybrid meeting are becoming more and more popular. A more adaptable work model naturally gives rise to hybrid meetings, but there are a few things to bear in mind to make sure these sessions are successful, function well, and promote good participation.
Although there are many benefits to hybrid work, there are drawbacks as well. Particularly challenging are hybrid meetings and workshops, which call for careful preparation, a well-thought-out structure, and exceptional facilitation abilities. Here is advice on how to adapt smoothly to the hybrid meeting environment. You’ll be prepared to plan if you have this checklist in hand.
What is a hybrid meeting?
A hybrid meeting has both in-person and virtual participants. When a meeting is hybrid, some of the participants are present at the same location. Additional attendees join the meeting via web conferencing or conference phone.
Participants from a distance join the meeting using a virtual platform, such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Attendees in person gather in a designated meeting room. Whether or not everyone is physically present in the conference space, each participant may occasionally participate via a personal device. In other cases, participants in person will make use of a central screen.
According to a recent McKinsey survey, 90% of firms will eventually move away from the COVID pandemic and implement both on-site and remote work. A Dialpad questionnaire of over 2,800 US workers in a variety of industries and business sizes revealed that 83.13% of respondents spent up to half of their workweek in meetings.
How To Help Your Employees Run Great Hybrid Meetings
To maintain accessibility and engagement among all employees in a hybrid work environment, it is necessary to set up the proper procedures and culture. Here are tips and advice on enhancing hybrid meetings.
Establish clear objectives and share the agenda in advance
First, consider the requirements for a hybrid meeting: what are the goals and the attendees, and what additional information can you provide to help it succeed?
To ensure that no distant guests are overlooked, be organized when inviting contributions. It’s recommended that you take the time at the end of each agenda item to ask each attendee directly if they have anything to add. This way, you can be sure that everyone has had the opportunity to contribute and that nothing has been missed.
Provide training on hybrid meeting technology and best practices
Both inclusivity and appropriate technology are essential in modern meeting spaces. What you should do is utilize virtual collaboration tools during hybrid meetings to ensure that remote workers are not excluded from the opportunity to contribute, edit, and refine ideas.
Meeting technology, online communication platforms, and software designed for meeting room reservations, such as Acall, all play crucial roles in keeping meetings productive. These business tools should also be inclusive, entertaining, and engaging.
Perform pre-meeting tech checks to ensure a smooth experience
When it comes to hosting or participating in virtual meetings, it’s important to be prepared for any potential challenges that may arise. Technical errors and human mistakes are common and can waste everyone’s time.
However, there’s a simple solution to avoid these problems – conduct a quick test before the meeting begins. By checking your webcam, headset, internet connection, video and sound quality, and other relevant components beforehand, you can solve any technical difficulties and ensure that the meeting runs smoothly and efficiently. This small step can go a long way toward making your virtual meetings productive and successful.
Designate roles such as facilitator, time-keeper, and note-taker
It needs to put the right individuals in the proper roles to maintain effective and interesting meetings, whether they are conducted in person or virtually. Otherwise, meetings will become boring and unproductive because the proper responsibilities aren’t assigned.
Here are some key roles in hybrid meetings:
- Chair: The person who organizes, conducts, and ends the meeting is the leader (chair).
- Facilitator: The facilitator is in charge of directing the conversation and decision-making process. Since the functions of leading and facilitating a meeting are similar, it is not unusual to have one individual handle both responsibilities.
- Timekeeper: The individual who keeps an eye on the meeting’s timing is known as the timekeeper.
- Recorder: The person in charge of taking notes is the one who must record important choices, questions, and actions.
Rotate meeting times to accommodate participants in different time zones
A productive hybrid meeting needs the availability of all the roles. The first step is selecting a time that works. You can refer to some resources like World Time Buddy and Time Zone Converter to make it simple to compare and change time zones.
Other tools, like Doodle or Calendly, can help you make a poll and ask people to select their favorite time slots. If it’s not absolutely urgent, you should try to avoid having meetings during the lunch hour, early in the morning, or late at night.
Use interactive tools to engage both in-person and remote attendees
Working in hybrid mode won’t be easy for teamwork and communication. You can use all the advantages of your hybrid meeting equipment to give people a boost and make use of technology.
It would be better if you utilized eye-catching films, infographics, and high-quality photos when sharing content and established frequent touch points by using polls and quizzes. The meetings should be monitored well in the chat. You can also allow time for Q&A and ensure that distant participants are always visible and audible.
Follow up with a meeting summary and clear action items
To ensure that hybrid meetings are effective and efficient, you should follow up and evaluate. As quickly as feasible, why don’t you provide each participant with a summary of the meeting that includes the main topics, choices, actions, and due dates?
Along with acknowledging everyone’s accomplishments and difficulties, you should also thank them for their time and input. Additionally, you need to get input on how the session went and suggestions for improvement from both in-person and virtual participants.
Wrap Up
The number of hybrid meeting is increasing nowadays. Employee engagement and team productivity both depend on your preparation. Are you looking for a solution to schedule meetings in a mixed environment?
Acall offers specialized solutions and innovative technology, along with seasoned experts to guarantee a smooth transition, whether online or offline, in workspaces or virtual spaces. Acall is your strategic partner as not only a service provider but also for maximizing the benefits of hybrid work. Contact Acall to learn more.
1. What are the key roles to assign in a hybrid meeting to ensure it runs successfully?
Assigning specific roles, such as a facilitator to guide the discussion, a time-keeper to manage the schedule, and a note-taker to document decisions and action items, is crucial for a well-organized and focused hybrid meeting.
2. How can interactive tools improve engagement in hybrid meetings?
Interactive tools like polls, Q&A sessions, and collaborative documents can help maintain the attention of both in-person and remote participants, ensuring everyone can contribute and stay engaged throughout the meeting.
3. Why is it important to follow up with a summary after a hybrid meeting?
A follow-up summary ensures all participants, regardless of their location during the meeting, are on the same page about what was discussed, what decisions were made, and what actions need to be taken next.
