Engaging Ways to Run a Virtual Meeting

Katelyn Sawyer
November 14, 2022
Newsletter Article

Whether it’s your first or hundredth time hosting a virtual meeting, here are five tips on how to do so in a way that keeps your colleagues (and yourself) engaged!

Engaging Ways to Run a Virtual Meeting

It’s no secret that these days, virtual meetings are essential for companies’ success. It’s also no secret that these online meetings can be, well, a little less than engaging. Whether it’s your first or hundredth time hosting a virtual meeting, here are five tips on how to do so in a way that keeps your colleagues (and yourself) engaged!

Keep it short.

There are a plethora of reasons why people would want meetings to be considered “short.” While the term short is subjective and there is no such thing as the perfect meeting length, research has found that engagement sharply declines at the 30-minute mark while focus trends toward non-existent after 45-minutes. It may require a bit of trial and error to find the sweet spot for your company, but aiming to keep regular meetings around this time frame will help prevent screen fatigue while maintaining engagement.

Plan it out.

This ties in nicely with the time piece. Plan to send out a meeting agenda or include topics to be discussed in the meeting notes ahead of time. Having this available to participants prior to the meeting can keep everyone on track if items outside the agenda are brought up. This also gives participants the opportunity to think about agenda items ahead of time, so they’ll be prepared to bring up relevant questions or participate in discussion during the meeting.

Dialogue, not monologue.

Offices (whether virtual, hybrid or in-person) should be places that encourage cooperation and dialogue among teammates. Make sure you aren’t the one doing all the talking in these meetings, otherwise it would be called a lecture. Allow opportunities for colleagues to chime through two-way interactions, whether it is verbal discussion, responses in the chat or even gifs to open up communication pathways to encourage dialogue rather than monologue.

Allow opportunities for participation.

Opportunities for participation can often be overlooked when planning and running a meeting. Make sure you are giving employees opportunities to be involved and engaged before, during, and after meetings. This could include having team members collaborate on creating that meeting agenda we mentioned earlier or including interactive polls in meetings. These elements allow coworkers to be engaged in a meaningful way and can provide important insight when it comes time to make decisions as a company.

Social Hour.

Now that many companies have made the transition to hybrid or fully remote, socialization in the workplace is now trickier and more necessary than ever. Encourage socialization among team members by adding in time for them to talk with colleagues about non-work-related items. This time could be tacked on in a meeting (preferably at the beginning or as a break in the middle) or could even be offered in an optional meeting (think water-cooler time or coffee chat.) Being able to discuss hobbies, life events or the latest album drop can work to build morale and add an element of fun to the ordinary. Team members are more likely to engage with each other when they have a relationship or common interests, after all.

For more on how to communicate at work check out this article: /employers/resource-library/leadership-and-management/checking-your-blind-spots-effective-communication-at-work.htm