4 Best Practices For Hybrid Work Meetings

If your team is going to be adopting a hybrid work environment, you might be asking yourself, "How are we going to handle meetings now?".

It's a confusing situation that many people like you are going to have to figure out. But, it's not impossible. There are many ways you can balance your remote team and your local team to work in harmony.

Here are some best practices for operating meetings in a hybrid work environment.

Have someone who's tech savvy on both sides

Technology is great, but it isn't perfect. And if you've been working remotely, you know this is a fact. Having someone who can step in and solve tech related problems will save a lot of headaches. The key here is to have someone on both the remote and local sides whose assignment is to watch out for any issues that may arise, and ensure the smoothness of the meeting.

Keep everyone involved by starting off the meeting with icebreakers

One of the biggest fears of a hybrid environment is that those in the office will have a leg up on those who are remote. This is because physical interaction has great benefits to helping teammates bond. Those tuning in remotely might feel out of place during your meetings. Make sure you keep them looped in by doing a non-work related activity before the meeting starts. They should feel a part of the team too.

Try out this fun icebreaker game at your next meeting!

Here's a fun acitivity you can play before any meeting!

Bring your remote teammates "into" the room

Dial-in meetings where everyone sits around a phone with the speaker on might work when you're talking to clients, but it shouldn't be the case when it's your own team. Installing monitors into your conference room can be helpful in displaying those who are remote so it feels like they are in the room with you.

Don't forget to include any information!

This goes back to the fear that by working remotely you're going to be missing out on things going on in the office. It's easy to get caught up in what you and the people that are next to you have going on. Side conversations can quickly turn into opinions being shared, and decisions being made about projects that your team is working on. Don't forget to share as much as you can with your remote teammates during these meetings. Even if you think it's not important, still share it! It will make those working remotely feel important and included.