Remote Conference Etiquettes: How to Get it Right
Who knew we’d ever get to a place where we remote work would actually become mainstream and even desirable in the labor market?
But here we are with a boom in the remote workforce as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. On the bright side, remote work is showing incredible promise so far.
How to make remote work ‘work’
One known fact about remote work is that it requires efficient communication between the teams of a company to succeed.
Remote conference/remote team meeting…feasible or not?
One important aspect of a meeting is the ability to see and gauge people’s reactions from their actions more than their voice could ever convey.
According to research, body language accounts for 55% of communication, unlike the 38% that is the tone of voice [1]. That is why highly functional software that stimulates a natural communal environment is necessary.
If all these are accounted for, then successful remote conferencing becomes very attainable.
But that’s just the technical part. Assuming the setup is solid, what about the etiquette of remote conferences? What is expected of individuals during meetings to avoid awkward moments?
P.S — if you want to have a good laugh, go to social media and check out some remote conferencing epic fails.
These videos are funny but they did give us a couple of teachable moments.
And with that, we’ve come up with some dos and don’ts of remote conferences.
1. Dress well
You probably think it’s just a regular video call and you can get away with dressing the top for a meeting but not the bottom. Let’s just hope the camera doesn’t point downwards for any reason.
Besides, it just speaks volumes about your professionalism if you take the time to dress appropriately and run a comb through your hair.
2. Choose a suitable corner to have the meeting
Don’t set up in a messy or noisy place. Try to pick a quiet, neutral spot with great lighting. There are lots of affordable options for video lighting available for purchase.
3. No eating
No one is supposed to eat during an actual office meeting, why should a video conference be any different? It’s not only distracting, but it’s also rather unprofessional and disrespectful to the people you’re meeting with.
4. Focus
Pay attention to the speaker and note down important points. Also, don’t fiddle with the keyboard or other objects around. Maintain an air of professionalism at all times [2].
5. Be prepared
Try to be proactive and do your homework before the meeting. Don’t wait until it’s your turn to speak or a question is directed at you before you attempt to pull up the files and go through them. Chances are the others are going to notice your eyes frantically searching for the answer on your screen.
6. All equipment should be tested beforehand
From internet connectivity on phones and PC to the camera, speaker, and microphone on the computer should be tested to avoid delays and miscommunications [3].
7. Employers or team leaders should work around the time differences
This is for companies with international remote workers. It wouldn’t be fair to hold a meeting when it’s midnight in some employees’ time zone. Figure out a central time that works for everyone and set the meeting for then.
On the part of the employees, once they are apprised of this time, they should clear their schedule so there’s no distraction or need to leave halfway through the meeting.
All in all, remote conferencing still requires a bit of fine-tuning to get it right. But so far, it seems most companies are on the right track and are willing to learn from their mistakes. Keep these points in mind for your next remote meeting.
Do you follow the rules of remote meetings etiquette? Leave a comment below and share your experience & tips!
References:
1. The ultimate guide to remote meetings in 2020. Deanna deBara. Slack.
3. 13 etiquette tips for video conference calls. N.F. Mendoza. Tech Republic.
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