Remember sitting around a conference table with coworkers for sleep-inducing and always too long meetings at the office? Because of the running pandemic, most companies have shifted to work-from-home, and corporate video conferencing solutions have risen in prominence to replace in-person meetings.
However, research on 20,000 remote employees from U.K. and U.S. shows that the best video conferencing for business cost more than $1250 per employee per month in lost time. It also stated the reason behind this is “overindulging in meaningless chit-chat”. Well, corporate leaders must reconsider their strategy soon to avoid productivity fall and economic devastation.
What Are The Ultimate Time Wasters?
Improved communication and fewer distractions are two of the corporate advantages of video conferencing. However, the following are the most prevalent meeting time wasters:
- Inadequate preparation of the meeting host
- Inviting too many unnecessary individuals
- No-shows and latecomers
- Going off-topic
- Lack of a clear and well-defined agenda
It’s important to recognize these problems first so that you can take the necessary steps to make your workflow more productive.
How to Boost the Productivity of Your Virtual Meetings?
Working from home may tempt you to expand the number and duration of your meetings. But this isn’t always the best approach. Unnecessary meetings waste your workers’ time, which adds up in the long run. Here are some tips to help you enhance the effectiveness of your virtual meetings.
#1. Conduct Short Meetings
Organizing short, precise meeting only when you need is the key to good virtual conferences. Ensure that everyone stays engaged and goal-oriented when out of the office. And daily team meetings and weekly check-ins will have long-term productivity and employee-manager relationship advantages.
#2. Encourage Casual Informal Meetings
While formal meetings are good, casual talk that occurs regularly in an office environment can be beneficial. Breaking up meetings into smaller groups for a few minutes is an excellent method to keep everyone on track. Another suggestion is to encourage employees to give little insights about their job and related issues through chat or email. It may help colleagues connect and collaborate despite their remote location.
#3. Avoid Unnecessary (Or Less Necessary) Meetings
There’s a difference between meeting time dedicated to socializing and meetings that are work-oriented but not mandatory. Remind teams that asynchronous communication technologies like Slack are preferable to time-consuming face-to-face video conferences.
When meetings are required, reduce the time permitted to half of what would usually be spent in the office. If you have an hourly planning meeting every Monday morning, reduce it to 30 minutes. Also, make sure that panels have a clear plan, and the host should supply all of the related materials and link before the meeting starts.
#4. Keep Minimum Meeting Size
Too many people joining one meeting can make it less functional. Therefore, be sure that only those who need to be present are invited. This will also make it easy for everyone to participate in meetings, reducing multitasking. The smaller the group, the better it is. Try to keep it under six people per meeting or as it fits your organization size.
#5. Encourage Work-Life Balance
While the suggestions above will help you boost the efficiency of your meetings, your workers’ productivity is determined by their own well-being. Although working from home allows workers to make up time lost while driving to work, it also eliminates the difference between at-home and at-work.
Individuals may feel pressured to respond to email and texts at all hours of the day and night. Offer flexibility rather than conforming to a traditional 9-to-5 schedule. Employees desire to take breaks throughout the day to exercise, prepare meals, and maybe look after their children. Consider reducing your workweek to four days (if it’s possible!).
Final Thoughts
As an employer, you should motivate your employees to log out at a particular time each day. Let them prioritize self-care and family. It may seem like a loss at first, but you’ll see the benefits in the long run. It is possible to keep your staff happy, engaged, and productive only if you work together.
