Recently, due to the expansion of remote work, the number of situations where remote meetings are required is increasing. Remote meetings have many benefits, including: Learn more about these benefits in our previous article.
- Accelerate decision making
- Improve operational efficiency and productivity
- Reduced travel costs
- Improving the accuracy of information transmission through communication
- Perfect for remote work
However, there are many caveats to remote meetings. If you do not follow these precautions, you will not be able to fully enjoy the benefits of remote meetings. In this article, we will explain the precautions for preparing for remote meetings, during remote meetings, and when selecting remote meeting tools.
Table of contents
6 points to note when preparing for a remote meeting
First of all, I will explain the following 6 points to be aware of when preparing for a remote meeting.
- groom and dress
- Check camera footage
- Join remote meetings in a quiet environment
- Check the Internet environment and system operation in advance
- Share agendas and materials in advance
- pre-determine the moderator
groom and dress
Of course, in face-to-face meetings, it is essential to be well-groomed and well-dressed even in remote meetings. In particular, if you usually work remotely and have few opportunities to go out, you tend to neglect your appearance and clothes. However, even if it is over the screen, it is necessary to meet others face-to-face even in remote meetings. Therefore, try to make a good impression on the other person by adjusting your appearance, such as your beard and bed habits. It’s the same with clothes. If it is too rough, it may give a bad impression. Choose clothes that leave a good impression, even if only the upper body is visible on camera.
Check camera footage
In a remote meeting, one of the points you want to check in advance is the camera image. For example, in a remote meeting, it is necessary to make sure that nothing extra is reflected in the background. If something unsuitable for the meeting is reflected in the background, it will spoil the interest, so check the camera image in advance and remove anything that may be in the background. Alternatively, if the remote meeting tool has a wallpaper function, you can use the wallpaper function to hide your background at all. Also, since the face tends to appear darker through the camera, it is recommended to brighten it with lighting.
Join remote meetings in a quiet environment
Try to participate in remote meetings in a quiet environment as much as possible. There are many recent remote conferencing tools that can pick up even small sounds. That’s why if you don’t participate in a remote meeting in a quiet environment, you may pick up sounds and noise around you, and you may not be able to hear each other’s remarks. If it is difficult for you to participate in a remote conference in a quiet environment, use a headset or take other measures to prevent surrounding sounds and noise from interfering with the remote conference.
Check the Internet environment and system operation in advance
It is assumed that the remote conference will be conducted via the Internet environment. Therefore, if the Internet environment connection becomes unstable, the audio and video will be disturbed. This creates a lot of stress for the participants. Also, not only is the audio and video distorted, but in the worst case, the connection may be interrupted. If the connection is interrupted, it is no longer possible to hold a remote meeting. In order to reduce such risks as much as possible, check the Internet environment and system operation in advance.
Share agendas and materials in advance
Before the remote meeting, let’s share everything in advance, such as the agenda for the day, the materials you want to read before the meeting, and the materials to be used on the day. By doing so, the meeting will run more smoothly and you won’t be wasting too much time in the meeting. In addition, the ID, password, and URL for participating in the remote meeting will be communicated in advance to all members who are expected to participate. As for materials, some people may want to use pre-printed materials even if they are screen sharing during the meeting. If you share the materials in advance, they will print them for you if necessary.
pre-determine the moderator
In remote meetings, the role of the moderator is even more important than in face-to-face meetings. This is because it is more difficult to find the right timing to speak than in a face-to-face meeting, and it is difficult to know who said what to whom in a meeting with multiple people. In addition, problems such as video and audio interruptions may occur during meetings. Even if such a problem occurs, if the moderator can respond appropriately, it will not cause unnecessary stress to the participants. Based on the above, let’s determine the chairperson in advance so that the chairperson can proceed the meeting appropriately. It would be better if you could prepare a timekeeper as well.
7 things to keep in mind during remote meetings
Here, we will explain the following seven points to note during remote meetings.
- Be careful not to disturb others
- speak calmly
- Watch your eyes when your video is on
- Explain by looking at the same materials as the other party
- Clearly express one’s intentions to the other party
- be aware of the sounds around you
- Participate in a remote meeting with good posture
Be careful not to disturb others
In a remote meeting, speaking louder and clearer than face-to-face makes it easier for the other party to understand what you are saying, making it easier to establish a conversation with the other party. However, you should be aware that this tends to make your voice louder than usual. In particular, if you use earphones instead of speakers, you will not be able to hear the sounds around you and you will not be able to hear your own voice. Be especially careful when participating in remote meetings at home or in public places. Not only will it cause trouble for those around you, but it can also be a trigger for information leakage.
speak calmly
Even in remote meetings, it is essential to establish a conversation between the other party and yourself. The key is to speak calmly. Even if you start talking without putting together the story and words, the other person will not be able to understand what you are talking about. Also, even if you speak quickly because you are nervous, the other person will not be able to understand what you are saying. When people get nervous, they tend to rush to speak. So try to come to the remote meeting as relaxed and organized as possible.
Watch your eyes when your video is on
When you turn on your video, the other person can see all your facial expressions and movements. What I want to pay particular attention to at that time is my own perspective. If you don’t make eye contact, the other person will think you aren’t listening to what you are saying. During a remote meeting, it is easy to look at the screen when viewing materials, so adjust the position of the camera so that your line of sight naturally matches. It is better to do a camera test beforehand. Also, it is a good idea to turn off the notification function of the device you are using so that you do not get distracted by notifications such as emails.
Explain by looking at the same materials as the other party
In remote meetings, there are many occasions when explanations are given while sharing materials such as statistical data. What you have to be careful about at that time is to explain by looking at the same materials as the other party. If you don’t, you run the risk of losing track of what’s going on in the meeting and dragging yourself down in the meeting. If you want to change the material you are looking at, let the other person know. Also, if you feel that the conversation is not engaging, check frequently what materials the other person is looking at. Also, take advantage of the screen sharing feature. You don’t need to ask the other party to see the file at any time.
Clearly express one’s intentions to the other party
One of the weak points of remote meetings compared to face-to-face meetings is that it is difficult to understand the facial expressions of participants. Of course, it is possible to show the participants on TV images even in remote meetings, but it is difficult to distinguish detailed facial expressions compared to face-to-face meetings. Therefore, try to express your intentions to the other party more clearly than in a face-to-face meeting. If you have a reaction button, let’s use it as well as reactions and backtracks using your body. It is important to note that if you speak loudly, you will not be able to hear what other people are saying.
be aware of the sounds around you
There are many recent remote conferencing tools that can pick up even small sounds. That’s why there is a risk of picking up sounds and noises around you and making it impossible to hear what the other person is saying. For example, if you join a remote meeting from a room facing the road or outside, the noise of cars can be a distraction. Also, if you participate in a remote meeting from home, you may pick up the voice of your child or pet. In this way, when participating in a remote meeting, be careful of the sounds around you. Also, if you do not want to speak, use the mute function as necessary.
Participate in a remote meeting with good posture
Also pay attention to your posture during remote meetings. For example, when participating in a remote meeting from home, it’s easy to relax and curl up a little. However, if you stretch your back moderately, you will look better and you can give a good impression to the other person. You can also increase your concentration and switch your mind to work mode. In addition, it is also recommended to put your face forward a little. This will give the other person the impression that you are focused on the meeting.
3 points to note when selecting remote conferencing tools
The use of tools is essential for remote meetings. Here, we will explain the following three points to note when selecting a remote conferencing tool.
- convenient and easy to use
- Security measures
- Cost-effectiveness
Also, see these articles for remote meeting tools.
convenient and easy to use
The first selection point is whether the remote conferencing tool is convenient and easy to use. Of the checkpoints for this purpose, three are introduced here, as shown in the table below.
| Connection stability | Unstable connections and choppy video and audio can be very frustrating for meeting participants. |
| Number of accounts that can be connected simultaneously | If it is assumed that there are many opportunities for a large number of people to connect at the same time, a remote conferencing tool that allows that many people to connect at the same time is necessary. |
| Are the specs just right for your company? | ・Select the remote conference tool with the optimal specifications, taking into consideration the level and work content of the employee . |
Security measures
It is assumed that the remote conference will be conducted via the Internet environment. As a result, it is an advantage that the meeting can be held easily. However, if sufficient security measures are not taken, risks such as information leakage and virus infection will occur. Therefore, security measures are also an important selection point when selecting a remote conferencing tool. Also, after introducing the remote conferencing tool, be sure to update it. If you neglect to update, you will not be able to implement the latest security measures.
Cost-effectiveness
One of the benefits of remote meetings is the ability to reduce costs such as transportation expenses. However, if the introduction and operation costs of remote conferencing tools are too high, the benefits of cost reduction cannot be obtained. In addition, even if a free or inexpensive remote conferencing tool is introduced, if problems occur due to insufficient specifications or insufficient security measures, the introduction of the remote conferencing tool may have the opposite effect. Make sure to select the most suitable remote conferencing tool or plan for your company after considering all the initial costs, operating costs, and expected effects after introduction.
summary
In this article, we have explained the precautions for preparing for remote meetings, during remote meetings, and when selecting remote meeting tools. Remote meetings have many advantages, but at the same time there are many caveats. Please use this article as a reference to make remote meetings a success in your company. In addition, this article introduces the advantages and disadvantages of remote meetings, so please take a look. In addition, it is effective to use information sharing tools for remote meetings. Here are some recommended tools, so please take a look.
