3 Lessons from Remote Meetings to Bring Back to the Office

There’s no denying that 2020 shaped the future of work forever. Millions of people are working remotely for the first time, and there’s been quite the learning curve. I’ve worked remotely since 2018 and had to share video call etiquette with some friends once they began working remotely. Zapier does a nice job of highlighting some essential video meeting etiquette. Here are a few lessons I’ve learned along the way that I hope follow us back to the office:

1. Say “Go Ahead” When You Overlap Someone
There’s just no getting around the lag and spotty Internet connection when on video meetings. You’re inevitably going to accidentally speak at the same time as someone else. I’ve noticed something that is not always done in-person, though: 

• One or both people say “go ahead”
• One person goes ahead and makes their point
• This person, when done, then asks the other person what they were going to say

It’s such a simple and subtle thing that seems to happen almost every time, yet I don’t think I’ve ever experienced this during in-person conversations. If two people speak at the same time in person, one person goes ahead and the other person is usually forgotten about and never gets to make their point. Have you noticed this, too? Safe to say, I really enjoy the etiquette and respect that seems to be given so freely on virtual video meetings. 

2. Schedule Time for Socializing
You know those first few minutes when everyone is hopping on the video meeting and trying to fix their microphone or turn on their camera? Some teams might immediately jump into the meeting agenda, but I have seen firsthand the value of having a few minutes to socialize before diving into business. It helps lighten the mood, energize everyone, and strengthen the team’s bond.

If you schedule time for socializing at the beginning of your meetings, both your team and business will benefit. When your team is more in sync and has a great relationship, productivity levels will skyrocket as will employee demeanor. It’s a win-win situation.

3. Be Intentional About Attendees
There’s nothing worse than wasting time in a meeting you don’t need to be in. Thankfully, remote work brought about a significant reduction in meaningless meetings for most employees. This is a great benefit for every company as it directly contributes to higher levels of employee productivity and satisfaction. If there’s anything we learned from the #WFH movement, it’s that employers should be more intentional about who they invite to meetings. Let’s bring this concept back to the office.

Source: https://zapier.com/blog/video-meeting-etiquette-at-the-office