Only time will tell if remote working is going to be a significant part of the post-pandemic “new normal”. Realistically, however, videoconferencing is likely to be very much a part of the new normal. In simple terms, they can be much easier than getting people together in one place. With that in mind, here is a quick guide on how to manage video conferences effectively
Have at least one official organizer
Video conferences have two parts to them. The first is the technology part and the second is the meeting part. Both need to be organized. With smaller meetings, one person can generally fulfill both roles. As numbers go up, however, so does the need for organization. In fact, if you’re running a full-on virtual event, you may need a fairly large organization team
Remember that some platforms require the designated organizer to be present for the meeting. At present, Zoom does this. If the designated organizer is around, but busy, you can just have them log in and then go away again. If, however, they’re not around, you’ll have to set up the entire video conference from scratch
Create an agenda
If you’re going to the effort of running a video conference, then you probably have quite a lot to cover. Having a formal agenda not only makes sure that everything gets covered. It also makes sure that everything gets an appropriate amount of time. Ideally, you’ll distribute the schedule well in advance and potentially be prepared to make changes based on feedback
The schedule can also serve as “marketing” for your video conference. This can help to ensure people don’t just feel obligated to attend but actually want to be there. The trick to doing this is to “tease” a little. For example, don’t just say “HR presentation”, say “HR presentation by Group Management Services founder and president Mike Kahoe”
Push instructions for using the platform
Never assume that everyone knows how to use your chosen platform (even if they really should). Push out instructions on what, exactly, they need to do. You only need to create these once and then you can reuse them for every video conference on that platform
It’s also advisable to push out any relevant guidance on videoconferencing etiquette and safety. Again, don’t assume people know these (even if they really should). In particular, make sure people know what to do if they have any technology/connection issues.
Decide if you need/want offline materials
Ideally, you should aim to create video conferences where the visual element adds extra value but is not essential. This means that if people have connection issues, they can potentially follow along with just the audio. One way to do this is to email/mail them documents covering anything they really need to see
If you can’t/don’t want to do this, then you’ll need to have some sort of backup plan for people having connection issues. This could be something as simple as recording the event and giving them the opportunity to ask questions/make comments afterward.
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