Last Updated on April 17, 2023 by
Working from home can be a blessing for many people, but for employers, especially those trying to hold meetings, the virtual environment is frustrating. While a virtual office presents the opportunity for customizations, such as virtual office backgrounds, it also means employees are not as focused during meetings.
Many workers prefer to spend their time working on assignments, not sitting through lectures or project updates. To encourage participation, managers must incorporate techniques to improve focus and eliminate distraction.
Table of Contents
1. Set a Goal for the Meeting
A meeting should have a goal or objective. As a manager, consider the essential points of a meeting and limit meandering conversations. For instance, if a project runs into a security issue, the session should address the problem and potential solutions. Nothing else matters in the meeting except the one goal. If team members bring up another issue, set aside time to discuss it at the next gathering.
2. Reward Weekly Accomplishments
Granted, recognition may not be part of the main reason for the meeting, but it is always good to include praise and encouragement. Consider the best time to include it during the meeting. For instance, you may not want to give praise right before bad news. Teams might need encouragement following the news.
People appreciate praise, and it can help motivate a stronger work ethic. Every meeting should reward project and individual milestones.
Free Zoom backgrounds office might provide an opportunity to frame the reward or praise. You can choose from many virtual backgrounds, including birthdays and other celebrations.
3. Assign Tasks and Roles
Besides using Zoom immersive view backgrounds, assigning roles and tasks is an excellent way to keep team members focused on the meeting. If each member is responsible for presenting a different aspect of the meeting, they are more likely to pay attention to the meeting’s progress. They will also pay attention to individual speakers to ensure they are not repeating any information.
4. Schedule Breaks and Small Talk
If you are planning a long meeting, it is wise to include breaks for small talk. Sometimes, it is challenging for team members to deal with a marathon meeting without a breather.
You can transition between different meeting presentations by playing a game or connecting with team members on a more personal level. You can allow everyone to take 10 or 15 minutes of intermission before getting back into the meeting.
5. Keep the Group Size Small
Individual team members can get lost in a large virtual meeting. Once meetings have more than 12 members, it is challenging for a manager to keep track of everyone.
In large group meetings, team members are often tempted to multitask or ignore presentations altogether. If possible, it is best to limit meeting sizes to fewer than 12 participants.
Fewer people on the call usually mean shorter meetings as well. It is easier to hold someone’s attention for 15 to 20 minutes than one hour or more.
Are you having a hard time keeping your team focused during virtual meetings? Contact a virtual office specialist to learn more about focus techniques.
Read More: 3 Tips for Successful Weekly Meetings With Remote Workers
