How can you ensure remote attendees feel included and valued during hybrid meetings?

Effective pre-meeting communication sets the stage for productive collaboration. Sharing agenda, objectives, and participant roles, along with technical instructions and ground rules, ensures everyone is prepared and engaged. Assigning a facilitator to manage logistics enhances efficiency and fosters a respectful meeting environment. ??

1. Include a clear agenda in the meeting invite including the collaboration meeting link (Ex. Teams, Zoom, etc) to join the meeting virtually 2. Use a projector for the onsite participants to see the remote attendees on the call so everyone feels part of the discussion 3. Facilitator needs to ensure that the meeting material is shared via the collaboration tool and for white-boarding the collaboration tool so the remote participants are able to follow along 4. The facilitator needs to ensure they interact with the remote attendees and ask them questions to keep them actively engaged in the discussion 4. After the meeting, follow up with the discussion notes, action items, decisions, risks/issues along with any next steps via email

In the realm of remote attendance, clarity is paramount. Clearly outline meeting agendas, participant roles, and platform access beforehand. Assign a facilitator to handle technicalities like muting and screen sharing. Establish etiquette guidelines to ensure smooth interactions, such as time management and respect for diverse viewpoints.

Hybrid meetings can be challenging if not planned effectively, it needs to have efficient structure such that participation and involvement is as organic as possible. Lay down the ground rules of camera ON to derive value out of the meeting. Have a strong agenda set and circulated prior with enough time to prepare.Start with some energising activities to seek total attention. Work around the group for feedback/viewpoints on the relevant topic of discussion. Use facial expressions and voice modulation for building connect to have active participation. Finish the meeting with open to all discussions which will enhance the productivity through inflow of perspectives, deliberation will help to have solutions in the meeting itself.

In my view, what encourages a productive remote meeting is by having an agenda, which is inclusive, encouraging engagement which drives more input and broader conversations of varying perspectives. Often, having a few bullet points is enough for attendees to firstly know the expectation, but also coming into the session with prospective questions and proposals which generates active flow of information and value from the allocated time.

Incorporating engaging formats into hybrid meetings is key to keeping everyone involved. Utilize polls, quizzes, and breakout rooms to spark interaction among attendees. Encourage dialogue rather than monologues to foster a dynamic exchange of ideas. Also consider adressing people directly with questions, rather than askin everyone. This approach ensures remote participants remain active contributors throughout the meeting and you do not have to face muted microphones resulting in unpleasent silence.

Ensuring remote attendees feel included and valued during hybrid meetings involves utilizing video conferencing for face-to-face interactions, actively encouraging remote participation, and rotating meeting times to accommodate different time zones. Leveraging collaboration tools, designating a remote moderator, and providing meeting agendas in advance enhances participation and engagement. Virtual social interactions, such as coffee breaks, foster team connections, while periodic check-ins with remote participants address technical issues and prevent isolation. Recording meetings and promoting a culture of inclusivity contribute to creating a collaborative environment that values every team member, regardless of their physical location.

100%. Keep slide packs and wordy slides to a minimum. Think about embedding videos to get your point across. Or challenge the team to make their point using GIFs to make more playful and engaging.

Planning a proper agenda is crucial to ensure that remote team members are engaged in hybrid meetings. It helps in setting clear expectations and allows everyone to be prepared with their questions or inputs. In addition to a well-structured agenda, the format of the meeting also plays a significant role. However, one aspect that often gets overlooked is the value and consideration given to the opinions of remote team members. It's essential to create an inclusive environment where remote team members feel that their ideas and suggestions are heard and valued. To further involve remote attendees, it's important to include regular breaks during the meeting.

I think this simply comes down to respect and meeting etiquette. If someone on screen has their hand up, acknowledge and go to them at the earliest opportunity in the discussion

In balancing participation, it's crucial to ensure every attendee, whether remote or in-person, feels equally valued. Alternating attention between both groups or adopting a round-robin approach can help achieve this. Also make sure there are timelimits as every team has a person that won't stop talkin unless they get interrupted!

???????????????????? To support remote attendees feel included and valued during hybrid meetings get feedback from them and those that attended in-person. What went well, what could be improved, and possible solutions they may have. Implement changes, so that attendees feel heard through an inclusive process. ????????????????????????????

A meeting without a summary is not productive use of time, therefore it is crucial that a round up has been formulated and re-distributed to the attendees/ audience to firstly acknowledge their time, and secondly that there will be outcomes and progress from it, which drives both productivity and and next steps.

These might sound like silly tips, but they are not: 1) call people by their name 2) pay attention when others are talking 3) wait until they have finished before jumping in