Whether you are an organizer or a remote attendee, it is important to know how to behave in an online team meeting. This will help ensure your meetings are productive and successful.
One of the most important parts of virtual meeting etiquette is dressing appropriately. You can’t expect your peers to have a good impression of you if you show up in pajamas or your leisurewear.
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1. Keep Your Mic On
If you have a headset with a built-in mic, don’t be afraid to keep your voice on. It will make the meeting easier for everyone to hear.
Another good practice for remote meetings is to turn off any background noises that might interrupt you. That includes phone calls, eating and drinking, and other noises that can distract you.
If you have a phone or computer with a built-in mic, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Spacebar for Windows and Option+Spacebar for macOS to temporarily unmute your microphone in a Teams meeting. It will return to mute after you’re finished speaking.
2. Be On Time
Whether you’re the host or an attendee, being on time for your meeting is important. This will help everyone feel prepared and give the meeting a better start.
You never want to keep your host waiting, especially if it’s a teammate or someone who you work with regularly. Showing up early shows that you’re a team player and it will become part of the meeting culture.
Having an organized desk and removing any distractions is also important. Having an uncluttered background speaks volumes about your professionalism and helps people focus on what you’re saying.
3. Don’t Type
Whether you’re typing on your laptop’s internal microphone or taking notes in a collaboration tool, the sound of your keyboard can be distracting to everyone else in the meeting. Instead, use a headset or take your notes by hand.
Punctuality is a must for online team meetings as well as in-person ones, as it shows that you respect other people’s time and efforts. Arriving late as a host or contributor will interrupt the flow of a conversation and cause the meeting to last longer than it should. Normalize coming in on time so that other team members follow your example and you’ll create a positive meeting culture that benefits you and others.
4. Don’t Click Away
There’s no better way to annoy your team members than clicking away during an online meeting. This can lead to a lot of wasted time and frustration.
To avoid this, always announce yourself when you join a meeting and make sure your mic is muted. This allows other participants to share their thoughts without interruptions or a distracting echo.
It’s also a good idea to let people leave early if they’re not needed in the rest of the meeting. This can help your team be more productive and leave you with more time to focus on the important things.
5. Make Eye Contact
You may not think it’s necessary to make eye contact, but doing so can help you build trust and credibility with your team. It’s also a good way to keep your team focused on the meeting’s goal and avoid distractions.
It’s also helpful to establish eye contact right away before you start talking. Looking down during your speech can come off as shy or nervous and will give the impression you don’t have enough confidence to speak.
If you’re nervous about making eye contact, practice with a friend or family member first. Over time, it will become easier.
6. Don’t Multitask
Multitasking isn’t a good thing in any situation, but it can be particularly detrimental during online team meetings. It can cause you to miss important conversations and information, or it can take you away from what’s being discussed and the work that needs to get done.
To prevent attendees from multitasking during an online team meeting, it’s best to send out a written agenda ahead of time. This will help people know what they’re expected to do and how much time is allotted for certain topics.
7. Be Prepared
Keeping an online team meeting on track requires a bit more attention to detail than a traditional in-person session. That’s why it’s important to create a clear set of rules for everyone before and during the event to ensure that the meeting runs smoothly.
Creating a pre-read and sending it to your team members a few days before the meeting is an easy way to keep people on track and avoid any confusion. This will also help to promote good meeting etiquette and set the tone for the event.