The Pros and Cons of Switching to Remote Online Meetings

In this new age of technology that’s constantly evolving, it’s important to keep up with the latest workplace advancements. With so many people now working from home and companies switching to flexible working arrangements, the need for remote meetings has skyrocketed.

There are several pros and cons to switching to remote online meetings, and we’ve put together the most important ones to help you decide what is best for your company.

CONS

Technical Difficulties

One major factor to consider is whether your staff are able to adapt quickly to changes in the way you run meetings. As recently as early 2020, virtual meetings were not the norm. It seemed as though some staff members would never be able to work out the various meeting software, where the mute buttons were, or how to share your screen…

Even now, after years of virtual meetings, technical difficulties are still extremely common. Whether it’s a dodgy internet connection, the newest software update, or a lack of technical know-how, meetings can quickly spiral out of control. When this occurs, you lose important information and you also lack that face-to-face connection from not being able to see other workers as clearly.

Rapport and Connection

If you’re meeting with clients online it’s important to establish a good relationship and trust with them and sometimes this connection is lost with online meetings. It can also be harder to read people and their body language through a screen.

Engagement and Distractions

Working remotely from home in any form can mean there is an added layer of distraction, and this is the same for online meetings as well. Because nobody is there in person, it’s more difficult to track staff performance. External factors like other family members, barking dogs or the delivery driver dropping off your online shopping, can also mean that staff members are not 100% as focused as they would be in the office. This in turn means that staff will also be less focused during meetings.

 

PROS

Health & Safety

One of the major and obvious pros of switching to online meetings is that it’s the most Covid-safe option. By maintaining social distancing (so much social distance that you’re in another room, potentially even another city!) you can be assured your meeting will spread good ideas without spreading germs.

Flexibility

Staff with families will also benefit from online meetings as it allows them to juggle home life and work life more fluidly. Busy people can sometimes do meetings on the go: in the car or at a cafe, and it also means staff are cutting back on travel times to and from work.

Helpful Tips

Some helpful tips to consider when making the change to remote work meetings include considering whether this is the right fit for your individual company. It’s important to get in touch with the people you work with and discuss what they think about making the change. If your current meeting routine works well then there’s no need to change it. Online meetings may, however, expand your business horizon and allow you to communicate more efficiently, quickly, and with far more people.

 

If you’re looking for more information on how to bring your workplace virtual meetings up to modern standards, check out these other posts:

• Upgrading Your Business To A Professional Audio-Visual Solution
• How Quest Upgraded Their Video Conferencing
• Biogen’s Best-In-Class Meeting Room Technology