A virtual meeting is an online communication that replaces the need for physical presence. It provides participants with real-time communication, collaboration, and document sharing through the use of videoconferencing tools and webinars. Virtual meetings are becoming more common as companies move to remote work and digital collaboration.
Virtual meetings are a fantastic opportunity to reach out to people across the world. Virtual meetings do away with the requirement for participants coming from different geographical areas to travel to one location. In addition, they offer an abundance of flexibility in the scheduling process which makes it easier to find times that are convenient for all attendees.
However, virtual meetings also have limitations that must be taken into consideration. The lack of visual cues can make it difficult for participants and speakers to communicate with one another. Participants can also become tired and lose interest in the event of a prolonged virtual meeting. Additionally, the learning curve of new virtual meeting technologies can be difficult for some participants.
But, by observing the best practices for conducting virtual meetings, businesses are able to overcome these issues and get results. They include thorough preparation and active participation during the meeting, and prompt follow-up. By following meeting etiquette participants can avoid uncivil behavior and the common feeling that virtual meetings could have been conducted better through email. For more information, read our article about Virtual Meeting Etiquette.