How can you lead effective hybrid meetings with virtual and in-person participants?

These are some popular software tools used by hybrid teams to simplify workflows and increase productivity. Asana offers a range of templates to organize projects, Slack provides a platform for work communication and building workplace bonds, Zoom facilitates video conferencing for remote employees, Google Workspace provides cloud-based tools for real-time collaboration, Jira helps engineers and developers keep tabs on bug issues and workflows, and Loom provides asynchronous video communication. These tools can be combined with other popular apps to maximize efficiency and ensure all personnel are on the same page.

I tackle this on a higher level. Sure, there are tools with various add-ons or features that could benefit the hybrid meeting. However, we must consider boundaries or limitations at the national, organizational, and personal levels. For example, if your vendor team is in China, they cannot use WhatsApp. Some organizations only allow corporate Webex, and not all of your audience are IT whizzes.

A reliable video conferencing platform enables seamless interaction between remote and in-person participants, while a high-quality microphone and speaker ensure clear audio for everyone involved. Additionally, a large screen or projector allows in-person attendees to view virtual participants clearly, fostering a sense of connection.

When transitioning to a hybrid work model, it's important to establish expectations that work for everyone. This can be achieved through collaboration with the team to identify preferred norms in alignment with the company's policy. Flexibility is key in a hybrid work environment, so policies should avoid being rigid and allow for individual choice in regard to office attendance. To prevent any confusion, all expectations should be put in writing, outlining the specifics of who will be in the office or working remotely on which days of the week, accessibility hours, and types of meetings to be held in the office. Storing the expectations in a centralized location, such as the team's Slack channel or shared company drive, ensures clarity.

By communicating the agenda, objectives, roles, and ground rules beforehand, all participants can come prepared and know what to expect. This proactive approach minimizes confusion and frustration, allowing the meeting to run smoothly and effectively, regardless of whether attendees are joining virtually or in person.

Before the hybrid meeting, it's important to set expecations and send a meeting agenda, explain whats expected from the meeting and if its an update meeting, who is going to speak when. I like asking team members to send over their slides prior to the meeting so only one person has to share their screen and make things easier for both virtual and in person attendees.

The following are some tips to improve employee engagement in a hybrid work environment. Firstly, provide clarity about how the hybrid environment will operate to reduce uncertainty and stress. Secondly, create new hybrid rituals for team connection instead of trying to replicate old ones. Thirdly, introduce asynchronous work to allow employees to work independently and increase productivity. Fourthly, recognize the six motives for why people work and try to dial down indirect motives while dialling up direct motives. Fifthly, practice self-care and role model healthy practices to create a positive impact on the team. Finally, use online surveys to better understand individual preferences and improve team engagement.

Engaging the virtual attendees is always challenging as they are more likely to feel left out due to the nature of the medium. However, the situation can be handled effectively by employing following techniques: - 1. Make sure no agenda point is closed without individually asking inputs of all relevant members who are attending the meeting virtually. They may be feeling less involved, facing a technical glitch or simply distracted due to environment around them. 2. Change the sequence of engagement amongst in-person and virtual members. This prevents them from falling into trap of guessing the pattern and become less involved during non-engagement periods. 3. Assign conduct of certain key agenda points to virtual members.

I relate to the participants online just like the ones in the room. They are asked the same questions, open their mics and contribute like everyone else. Technically, I ask that someone else takes on the role of setting up subgroups so the people online can talk to each other and explore the material we're covering effectively. I don't want the in-person or online group to wait before they dive in to the content. Also important to switch up who speaks first, just like when the group is all in the same space. The dynamics and political connotations of who speaks first and who dominates remain true whether the group is online, in-person or both.

To achieve this, employ various strategies such as active participation methods like polls, breakout discussions, and Q&A sessions, ensuring everyone has opportunities to contribute regardless of their location. Additionally, encourage interaction by rotating speaking turns and using visuals to enhance understanding. By incorporating diverse engagement tactics, you create an inclusive environment where all participants feel valued and involved.

As a project manager in an international firm, I've led many meetings with both online and in-person attendees. It's important to make sure everyone can join and participate smoothly, checking audio, video, and screen sharing for both virtual and physical participants. During the meeting, give equal attention to both groups, asking questions to ensure everyone understands. Afterward, share meeting notes promptly to confirm everyone's grasp of the discussed points and decisions made.

Hybrid meetings combine both the physical and virtual worlds, requiring project managers to implement the best practices of both in-person and remote meetings. This integration ensures effective communication, collaboration, and inclusion for all participants, regardless of their location. Keep in mind remote participants should actively engage by appearing on camera during meetings to ensure their presence and contributions are acknowledged and encourage remote team members to speak first which helps mitigate distance bias. Also, discourage side conversations to ensure that everyone's input is valued, with in-person attendees encouraged to share discussions through the group chat or vocal repetition for remote participants.