While remote working was seen as a short-term measure to help websites organizations overcome the COVID-19 outbreak, many organizations have now switched to virtual board meetings as a permanent feature of their board member and director engagement. It takes time for boards to become comfortable and productive in virtual settings.
It isn’t always easy to create a sense friendship or interactivity in a virtual context as it is in a physical one. By adding interactive elements to meetings such as breakout sessions, quizzes or even a quick poll can be helpful in breaking up long presentations and encouraging more participation. A second problem is that people who aren’t accustomed to using teleconferencing or video conference platforms may be scared of making the switch online. This can result in lower levels of engagement than is normal.
It’s important to ensure that the technology platform chosen for an online board meeting is user-friendly and easy for everyone to use. Prior to the meeting, it might be beneficial to conduct a tech review to ensure that all attendees have the correct equipment and can participate without any issues. It’s also helpful to limit the duration of online meetings to prevent screen fatigue as people can begin to become uncomfortable after looking at the screen of a computer for long. An agenda that is brief and with estimated time limits for each item could aid in the pace of the call and support the chair in directing the meeting.