As we all endeavor to adapt to the “new normal” pressed upon us by the Coronavirus, virtual meetings have become essential to new operational protocols to maintain business productivity and engagement with employees and clients. Virtual meeting etiquette is very different compared to in-person meeting etiquette, so we wanted to share a few simple virtual meeting tips to make your virtual meeting experiences as successful as possible.
Dress appropriately. Take a few minutes to tidy your appearance and put yourself in the right frame of mind to be productive. Act like it’s a face-to-face meeting and maintain the same professional appearance you would in the conference room.
Be aware of your surroundings. Be sure your space and your face is lit appropriately and make sure your background is professional and work appropriate — no unmade beds or open closets. Be mindful of any background noise or moving distractions, including adorable children and pets.
Test your sound and video before the meeting starts. This will ensure that any needed troubleshooting will not keep you from joining the meeting promptly.
Mute your microphone when you’re not talking. There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to follow meeting discussion over the noise of someone shuffling papers, typing or having side discussions in the background. In some cases the meeting organizer will mute all participants at the onset of the meeting, in which case you should only un-mute yourself when speaking.
Speak up. If your small meeting platform includes a “someone just joined” ding, be sure to announce yourself when you join and speak up when talking so you can be heard by all participants in the meeting.
No food allowed. Snack before your virtual meeting. Eating is not only distracting to others, it will divide your attention from complete focus on meeting discussion.
Stay seated and present. It may be tempting to check your inbox or carry on a side discussion during a dull moment, but don’t do it. If using your webcam, use attentive body language, sit up straight and remain attentive.
Silence your mobile phone and mute virtual assistants. Don’t let your ringing phone interrupt the flow of the meeting and ensure that Siri or your Google Assistant don’t have the opportunity to chime in unexpectedly.