Much of our lives now occur online because of the changes 2020 brought to the workplace and home life.
Are you holding a business meeting to address Q2 budgets? On Friday afternoon, why not have a company-wide happy hour? Do you want to celebrate your birthday with 82 of your closest relatives? All kinds of meetings may be handled using some of the best business video conferencing software.
Here are some suggestions you can make use of while conferencing.
#1. Make the conferencing experience more personal.
Have you noticed that when everyone is staring at their displays instead of the camera, eye contact is almost non-existent? Of course, you’re watching your coworkers’ video stream, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s a bit cold. Moving the video window near your device’s camera is good advice. Looking at the video feeds of others simulates establishing eye contact, making the encounter more intimate.
#2. For the love of everything good, mute yourself.
While there is no hard-and-fast rule, it’s a good idea to mute your device’s microphone if you’re in a meeting with more than one person to avoid distracting background sounds. Some corporate video conferencing software solutions, such as Zoom or Blue Jeans or Neo Meet, allow you to momentarily unmute yourself by holding down the spacebar. This will enable you to make an incisive remark or ask a question when needed.
#3. Consider changing or blurring your backdrop.
Adding a background—or blurring it entirely—may assist reduce distractions in the same way that muting your microphone does? You can change your virtual backdrop to a picture or video in your preferred video conferencing solution. Avoid setting your virtual backdrop to anything even more distracting than your real-life background, such as a fire-breathing dragon, however how tempting it may seem.
#4. Make use of the chat feature.
When more than one person attempts to speak simultaneously during video conferencing, uncomfortable pauses occur. Use the chat feature to avoid this issue. Most video conferencing software includes a messaging function that allows for public and private discussion boards during meetings. The benefit of this feature is that questions and comments may be asked and expressed without disrupting the meeting’s flow.
#5. Give yourself a nickname.
It may be difficult to tell who is speaking in a big group of 10 or more individuals, particularly during a fast-paced idea exchange or question and answer session. Before you talk, it’s a good idea to say your name. Other attendees won’t have to go through all the video streams looking for the speaker. Furthermore, it becomes obvious which ideas are your, removing the possibility of not receiving credit for your efforts.
#6. Dress appropriately for your audience.
While we can’t compel you to wear trousers, it’s a good idea to be cautious. If you must stand up, the backdrop blur function won’t altogether remove it. In the same vein, during video calls, we recommend wearing something a little better than a t-shirt. Putting on a button-down shirt or a beautiful sweater may make a difference in how people see you in video calls and how productive you are at work.
This list isn’t a comprehensive guide, but it will help you become a competent video conferencer. Other essential meetings’ best practices and video conferencing etiquette include having a plan, being on time, and sticking to start and finish timings, which you probably already know!
