Video conferencing is an incredibly powerful tool, allowing employees, supervisors and company leaders to connect with each other no matter where they are located. During a time when physical interactions are limited by public health rules and recommendations, the ability to simulate a face-to-face conversation is especially beneficial. Remote workforces are an effective solution for many companies that cannot operate normally.
However, increased usage of video conferencing can leave some workers feeling a sense of fatigue. Whether it’s related to managing technical requirements and glitches or the general requirement to frequently be in front of the camera, some of your employees may feel less positive about the concept or generally burned out.
How can your organization boost engagement and make the most of video conferencing tools? Keep reading for some practical video conferencing tips.
Provide rules, guidance and support
Applying a very general management best practice to video conferencing can help address many of the issues that lead to negative feelings when using this software: Make expectations clear, streamline processes whenever possible and offer effective support to empower your staff.
Employees working from home may or may not have significant experience using video conferencing. Your organization can help by providing simple rules and guidelines for common questions. Some examples include:
- When should I mute my microphone?
- Are virtual backgrounds allowed or encouraged?
- What sort of lighting is required? Is natural lighting acceptable?
- How do I deal with unavoidable background noise, like kids who have limited opportunities to get out of the house?
The answers to these questions may vary whether the meeting is internal or external, or is entirely work-focused or more casual. Creating more than one set of guidelines, as long as they remain clear and don’t become cumbersome, can be an effective solution.
Offering support is another important consideration. Some technical issues may be extremely complex or not have an obvious answer for staff outside of the IT department. Providing troubleshooting resources and assistance tied to video meetings can make these virtual gatherings feel less like a chore and more like an opportunity to engage in valuable work.
Emphasize intent and purpose when scheduling meetings
Having to jump from one meeting to the next repeatedly can be taxing on workers stuck at home, especially when several video conferences per day are the norm. This is another area where businesses can adapt a general best practice to a specific situation.
Video conferencing can be extremely useful for important meetings, but many questions, conversations and other interactions can be handled through other means. Emails, chat apps, file sharing and one-on-one phone calls can all play a role.
Business leaders should encourage the managers and supervisors to only schedule meetings when they can provide a demonstrated benefit. In some cases, a live gathering is critical for brainstorming, troubleshooting, planning and other core operational needs. In others, delayed communication, such as through email, is more valuable. This approach allows everyone participating to carefully consider what has already been said and review relevant documentation before offering their own contribution.
Reducing the fatigue felt by staff related to video conferencing can be as simple as limiting meetings to situations where they are clearly needed.
A dependable business banking partner
These video conferencing tips are broadly applicable and, with a little planning and strategy, easily implemented. At Comerica Bank, we recognize the need for many companies to quickly adjust in a period of economic uncertainty. Our wide range of business banking services help you better manage and control your finances, no matter the circumstances.
