Remastering the Meeting: Better Tools for Collaborating Remotely and Onsite, Too

Let’s face it: Meetings can be dull. Not many people will highlight meetings as the most enjoyable part of their jobs.

But meetings can be great when they are done right.

This might mean a change in your organization’s approach, but it can be well worth introducing changes if they have a positive effect on your staff.

Here are some tips and tools for getting more out of your meetings both onsite and remotely.

Set Up an Online Community for Collaboration

Get People Moving

Standing up can work wonders for keeping everyone engaged and hold better meetings. Creating a more casual environment where people stand for 10 minutes rather than sitting around a table can bring new energy to the room.

Alternatively, consider changing the scenery. Sit outdoors in the park instead of around a table. For smaller meetings, you could even go for a walk outside.

If you prefer to stick to a meeting room, make sure the room is a pleasant environment that is air conditioned and well ventilated. Add some inspiring artwork to the walls and bring in some plants to create a more pleasant environment.

Harness the Power of Video Conferencing Tools

When you can’t meet up in person, video conferencing comes to the rescue. It has many benefits, including allowing you to meet up with team members all over the world, and it’s easier than ever to do.

Many teams use familiar tools like Skype, but there are many solutions available for businesses that can help you to get more from your meetings wherever you are, so try them out and hold more virtual meetings.

Make Sure You Have the Right Setup

If you decide the video conferencing is a great option for your business, you’ll want to make sure the meetings go smoothly—and that means avoiding technological issues. Problems with your setup can affect your meetings negatively, and you don’t want that.

When it comes to video conferencing for business, it’s a good idea to invest in the right system to ensure you don’t experience regular problems.

Choose a specialist audio/visual company that can provide you with advanced video-conferencing solutions. They can then provide high-definition visuals and tools like desktop sharing and a simple control panel to help you get the most from your online meetings.

Have Follow-Up Processes

Not all the best ideas will emerge in the actual meeting. Once people have had a chance to go away and think about it, they may come up with better ideas that they want to share. In this case, rather than having another meeting, create an online space where everyone can add ideas.

This could be as simple as a Google Drive document that is shared with team members. Some people may simply prefer coming up with ideas on their own rather than sharing them in the moment during the meeting, and they can add ideas as they come up with them.

This provides you with a way to continue the ideas of the meeting long after the meeting has come to an end. You can then take all of these ideas and use them in the next meeting once people have had a chance to think about them.

Enjoy Better Meetings

Meetings are a major part of the work routine in most organizations. But if your meetings don’t seem to be having the desired results, it might be time to change things up. From changing tactics to introducing new technology, there are steps you can take to improve your meetings.

So try out some changes in your organization and see if you can make your meetings more enjoyable and productive for everyone.