Virtual board meetings are now a permanent feature of a lot of companies’ board member and director engagement. While remote working used to be thought of as an interim measure to help organizations deal with the COVID-19 epidemic, it’s now a feature integrated into the board member and director engagement. It can take time for boards to become comfortable and productive in virtual environments.
The most obvious issue is that it’s difficult to create the same sense of camaraderie and engagement in a virtual gathering as in person. A quick poll, a quiz, or even breakout sessions could help break lengthy presentations. Another issue is that those who aren’t familiar with using videoconferencing or teleconferencing platforms may be intimidated by going online. This can lead to lower levels of engagement than is normal.
It is essential to choose a platform for technology that is user-friendly for online board meetings. Before the meeting, it might be beneficial to conduct a tech test to ensure that all attendees have the right equipment and can participate without any issues. It’s also beneficial to limit the duration of online meetings to avoid screen fatigue, as people may begin to become uncomfortable after looking at a computer screen for too long. A brief agenda with estimated times for each item can assist the chair in managing the meeting and keep it moving.