Holding meetings online is not a new idea. Videoconferencing has been around for a very long time. However, it’s only recently that it became something in reach of even the smallest companies. There has been resistance to making it a regular part of the workday, simply because some people feel better sitting with a lot of other people in a room, even when there’s not a lot getting done. The thing is that modern workdays are so full of things that must be done, that ineffectual and superfluous meetings are a disruption and an obstacle to moving forward. There are, naturally, some drawbacks to holding online meetings, but balancing everything out are the benefits. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons. Pros:
- Millennials, Gen Xers, and Baby Boomers all report increased attentiveness when video is involved on calls or meetings.
- Entrepreneur magazine reports that 73 percent more of workers are more engaged in, then with teleconferencing.
- 82 percent of videoconference participants say they make more of an effort to prepare for video calls or meetings.
- By using cloud-based apps, people can attend from multiple locations without using any special equipment to do so. Applications can run on desktops, smart phones, tablets, or laptops as well as room-based hardware or other platforms.
- Meetings can be recorded and archived, along with shared content, for later retrieval and review.
- Meetings can be attended from any location, but meetings can also be moderated in order to allow question and answer periods, scheduling of speakers, and loading of content such as video, slide presentations, and other documentation.
Cons:
- Some staff members may not understand how the app works, and need more time to become comfortable with using it. They may even actively resist using it for fear of looking foolish.
- Softtrac raises concerns that the speakers may not be able to perceive visual cues from their audience. Many speakers rely on these cues tell them if their audience is engaged with the material and the meeting.
- Not issuing user guidelines can lead to people leaving mics open so that the speaker is drowned out by multiple background noises, and others may not know when they are allowed to speak, or ask questions.
- Sometimes people do not behave well when no one is watching them. For your workers with shorter attention spans, the latest Candy Crush game can sometimes be more engaging than the speakers and presentations.
- Some people find that video meetings can feel impersonal. They prefer to meet face-to-face and pick up nonverbal cues from others facial expressions and body language. This may be a component that is missing from larger video meetings.
- Workers not accustomed to using video may see virtual meetings as a type of novelty or as something not as serious as an actual face to face meeting with a person in the same room.
