When covid-19 forced the world to a grinding halt and pushed employers to rethink remote work, one of the main problems businesses had was getting the communication right. As employees were readjusting to the new normal, the trend of connecting virtually with their peers became a rage. There were numerous funny and weird incidents where people forgot to switch their camera/mic on/off at the right time. Along with this, underlying fatigue started to set in as remote employees were spending hours on meetings that could have been emails.
Below is your five steps guide to nailing the virtual communication.
Table of Contents
Ensuring good connectivity
Even though you may think this is a given, many commit the mistake of not getting their basic setup right. The first step to achieving this is to ensure the network connection you are on is strong and stable to avoid any disruptions during important calls. You can do this by checking the latency and speed of your internet on sites like fast.com.
Getting the lighting right
Have you noticed that in offices lights are situated in a way that they provide ample lighting. Successful virtual communication requires bright and abundant light, strategically placed to ensure visibility to other attendees.
Checking for sound
The most common mistake many commit when communicating in a hybrid setup is having a non-functional microphone or speaker. This common issue may look insignificant, but is a thorn during meetings and can lead to dissatisfaction at the onset. In order to avoid such embarrassment and waste of precious time, it’s best to check the functionality of your headphones and microphone under device health.
Read More: WaterCooler – Unwind with remote teams in a casual virtual space
Setting the pace right
More often than not, radio silence is observed after the initial round of introductions. To avoid a scenario where everyone jumps in to speak at the same time followed by absolute silence; it is best to plan and communicate the agenda, objectives, and key points of discussion along with who will lead the meeting in advance so that all the attendees are on the same page.
Knowing your audience and content
Finally, to successfully communicate virtually, you need to know who your audience is, how and what you will be saying to effectively convey your message to the attendees. Only when you have a good grasp of these factors will you be able to close the virtual gap. Oh, and do not forget to ask for permission before sharing your screen.
Effective communication starts with intent, so ensure you check all the boxes and get the maximum out of every virtual meeting you attend.
