In-person Vs Virtual Meetings - 4 Things To Consider | Meeting AI
With the rise of technology, virtual meetings have become increasingly popular in the corporate world. In-person meetings are still important and necessary, but is a virtual meeting really that much more efficient? How does a physical or virtual gathering fare against each other?
What are the pros and cons of In-person vs Virtual meetings? What should you consider when deciding between a virtual or in-person meeting? Let’s explore these questions and more.
The Pros and Cons Of In-person Meetings
In-person meetings have been the mainstay of business communications for decades, but in today’s digital world, they may not always be the most time-efficient or cost-effective option. As companies look to increase productivity and efficiency, it’s important to consider the pros and cons of in-person meetings before making any decisions.
Pros Of Face-to-Face Meetings
In-person meetings offer a unique opportunity for employees to connect with each other in a way that virtual meetings might not be able to replicate. Being able to look someone in the eye while they are speaking can help build trust between team members, which can lead to better collaboration.
Additionally, having a physical space for discussion allows people to brainstorm more freely than if they were communicating through text or video conferencing. This is especially true if the space is designed with creativity and problem-solving in mind.
Finally, bringing people together physically allows for easier networking opportunities for those who attend the meeting. These connections may be useful down the line if certain team members need assistance from colleagues or resources outside their own company.
Cons Of In-Person Meetings
Of course, there are also downsides to gathering everyone together for an in-person meeting. First off, it can be time-consuming—teams have to take time out of their day (and potentially travel) just to meet up with colleagues they potentially already communicate with regularly via email or chat.
Additionally, depending on how many people attend the meeting, it can become expensive very quickly; businesses may need to rent out larger spaces or even pay for travel costs if participants come from different locations.
Furthermore, many employees feel like they’re wasting time attending long client meetings that could easily have been handled via email. Additionally, some workplaces may not be suited for large groups gathering together due to pandemic restrictions or other safety concerns; this could limit group sizes as well as how often teams can meet up physically.
The Pros and Cons Of Virtual Meetings
In the digital age, virtual meetings are becoming more and more common. Companies use this method to save time, money, and resources while still getting the job done. But is it really the best way to go? Virtual meetings have their pros and cons – let’s take a look at each so you can decide if they are right for your company.
Pros Of Virtual Meetings
1. Cost-Effective
By hosting virtual meetings over the internet or by phone, companies can skip out on hotel fees, flight costs, meals, etc., all of which add up quickly. And if it's just two people, it's best if you and the other person prefer virtual meetings over meeting up at a nearby café.
2. Time-Saver
Another benefit of virtual meetings is that they can save time. Instead of taking hours out of everyone's schedule to travel to an offsite meeting location or scheduling multiple days away from the office for an important presentation or training session, companies can hold a meeting in minutes or even seconds with virtual technology.
3. Flexible
Virtual meetings enable individuals to enjoy the convenience of flexibility by attending even the most important of meetings from almost anywhere other than a fixed physical space. Companies can also host meetings when it is most convenient for everyone involved without having to worry about coordinating multiple schedules or finding a suitable location for everyone to meet at once.
4. Productive
Virtual meetings also provide an opportunity for increased productivity as attendees are able to focus on their tasks at hand instead of worrying about traveling from one place to another or dealing with any other distractions that may arise during an in-person meeting.
Time-consuming activities like training and committee briefings are often covered in an online meeting. And since participants are not limited by physical space constraints, they can focus more attention on their given tasks versus trying to fit into a limited space where communication may be hindered due to clutter or noise levels outside the room itself.
Cons Of Virtual Meetings
1. Technical Issues
While virtual meetings offer numerous advantages over traditional face-to-face meetings, there are some drawbacks as well such as technical issues that may arise during the meeting itself due to poor internet connection speeds or outdated software programs used by participants during their remote sessions.
2. Lack Of Interactivity
Another potential downside associated with virtual conferencing is its lack of interactivity within the same room. It could lead participants to feel disengaged from one another throughout the duration of any given session due to remote distances between them making it difficult for them to truly engage with each other in meaningful ways aside from voice chat alone (if available).
Furthermore, these types of gatherings do not usually provide opportunities for visual contact such as gestures or facial expressions which could help build rapport among attendees more quickly than if done via audio-only calls alone.
3. Impersonalized Environment
Lastly, even though virtual video conferences offer some level of personalization through being able to see each other's faces, it still falls short when compared to sitting down around a table together as colleagues, creating an environment where true relationships and understanding between team members cannot be made fully present.
This lack of presence makes it difficult to ideate, collaborate, and reach decisions together effectively leaving many feeling disconnected from one another after each session regardless of how long it lasted.
How To Decide Which Type Of Meeting Is Best For Your Needs
In an age of technology, virtual meetings have become the norm. But with COVID-19 regulations still in place, many companies have had to shift their operations to accommodate hybrid solutions where some meetings are held in person and some are held virtually.
So, how do you decide which type of meeting is best for your needs? Let's find out.
1. Connect The Objective With The Need
Whether you need resources for virtual gatherings or an in-person meeting depends on the objective of your meeting. Are you going to plan an event, hold a review, or discuss certain issues? If so, such task-based meetings don't need a conference table.
If your objective is to assess an individual, or someone new to the team, and have a one-on-one mentorship talk, then this type of relationship-based meeting will need to be held in person.
2. What Is The Complexity Of Your Meeting Subject?
Oftentimes, when a team lead or manager needs to discuss specific topics that require the entire team to be present, in-person meetings are unavoidable. Something like project planning, leadership development, or mediating conflicts requires long collaborative dialogues that are best dealt with face-to-face.
Meeting agendas like training sessions or committee briefings can be done online since they don't require as much physical attention.
3. Meetings Could Get Inclusive
There is a good chance your meetings will include a host of guests from all over the world which calls for a virtual meeting instead of an in-person meet. Sure, you can arrange for the transportation costs for those attending the meeting from foreign states while those living close by can come by themselves.
But, virtual meetings typically ask for nothing but a stable internet connection from anywhere in the world to let guests attend the meeting without having to spend their time or resources on the logistics.
4. The Host and Presenter Need To Be Prepared
In the case that you are choosing a virtual meeting over a face-to-face meeting, the presenter will have to ensure he/she is well-equipped with the ideal technology. They would need a virtual event platform, a computer coupled with a working camera and good quality microphone, strong and stable Wi-Fi, as well as screen sharing ability.
Similarly, the meeting host will also be required to be ready with functional meeting technology and plan alongside the presenter to ensure a successful virtual meeting.
Tips For Making The Most Of In-person Meetings
In-person meetings can be incredibly valuable for fostering relationships, gaining an understanding of the other person's personality or perspective, and establishing trust.
To make the most of in-person meetings, plan ahead: create an agenda with specific topics you’d like to cover, research your presenter or counterpart so you have a baseline understanding prior to the meeting, and be mindful of meeting etiquette.
During the meeting itself, focus on active listening – don’t think about your response while they are talking; instead, pay attention to their words and body language.
Ask questions that start with ‘how’ or ‘why’, to get deeper insights into their thought process. Be sure to take collaborative meeting notes so you remember key points discussed at the end. Lastly, make sure there is an effective follow-up system so all tasks assigned during the meeting are completed correctly and on time.
Tips For Running Successful Virtual Meetings
To ensure everyone gets the most out of your virtual meeting and no time is wasted, set clear goals at the beginning and establish ground rules like notifying when going on mute and starting/sticking to an agenda. It's worthwhile to invest time into preparing engaging material that will make people feel included, such as polls, breaks, or creative activities.
As a leader of the digital gathering, keep an eye on who is talking the most and those who are quieter - encouraging participation from everyone makes for interesting conversations and helps to stay on track with the tasks at hand.
Lastly, be sure to leave enough margin for follow-up questions or discussions at the end so that attendees leave feeling heard, appreciated, and productive.
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With our Microsoft Teams meeting app integration, you can collaborate in your meetings like never before; access all the functionality without ever leaving the Teams app, allowing you to stay focused while minimizing distractions.
Experience comprehensive meeting recordings and smart notes that make it easy to get the most out of your virtual experiences. Eric.ai will be with you every step of the way, an intelligent assistant there to make sure your meetings run smoothly and productively so you can get back to what matters.
Try Eric for free today or request a demo to get started!
