As you read this article, millions of people worldwide are adjusting their screens, microphone’s volume and preparing for the next remote meeting. Remote meetings are probably the biggest legacy that COVID-19 would leave for us. The global pandemic has pushed everyone to adopt the new remote working culture. Today, clients and employees, physically separated by thousands and thousands of miles, connect and conduct business, courtesy – the Internet and the tools that enable remote meetings.
With remote meetings, you do not feel the 'buzz' of the employees or team members around you. How would managers and leaders make remote meetings as effective as face-to-face meetings? What steps can be taken to motivate employees so that they take responsibilities and actively deliver work without compromising on performance?
Learn from these five proven techniques on how to keep employees involved and productive over remote meetings.

#1 Set Clear Meeting Expectations
Many people are still adjusting to the concept of remote meetings. Hence, all members must be on the same page concerning the team expectations, meeting norms, and online business procedures. As a manager, one must involve team members to prepare a meeting charter or take their ideas to set down clear rules and expectations for everyone.

#2 Meeting security
Security is a big concern in the digital world, especially when most business is happening online. Robust security controls clearly defined host rights and monitored end-user behavior can go a long way to secure online meetings. You can randomize the meeting IDs, make sure everyone registers before attending a meeting, and keep different host passwords to ensure the safe remote meetings.

#3 Always have an agenda ready
Every remote meeting should be having an agenda, set and shared before the meeting. This gives a clear idea of the reason for the meeting, the important areas to be discussed, and the attendees' expectations. It also shares the details about the host or facilitator and a few specific instructions to be followed during the meeting. This ensures collaborative participation, better teamwork, and value addition for all attendees.

#4 Ensure that there is some room for water-cooler talks
Water-cooler conversations are casual talks between employees, mostly on non-work-related topics. But with remote meetings, there is hardly any scope for these casual talks. During remote meetings, sometime can be kept aside at the beginning or towards the end for such light-hearted talks, maybe something exciting in someone's life, weekend plans, or a new hobby. These water-cooler conversations promote harmony and team collaboration. It brings employees closer and increases their satisfaction at work.

#5 Turn on your video please
One of the best ways to show connect and express emotions is by turning on the video during the meeting during online meets. Instead of using the raise hand emoticon, why don't you physically raise your hands? This not only builds a positive environment but also gives that human touch to the otherwise virtual world of business.
Final Thoughts
Remote meetings would continue to be an integral part of business operations. If you can combine technology with clear expectations and some effective measures, you can always have happy, engaged, and productive team members.

At The Taplow Group we continue to stay connected both with our teams and with our clients worldwide through remote meetings. Get in touch with us today at
www.TaplowGroup.com