Avoiding the Pitfalls of Holding a Board Meeting Online

Due to the pandemic that is forcing businesses to change their work habits remote work, virtual board meetings appear to remain in the future. The flexibility of a digital meeting permits attendees to take part without having to think about the restrictions on travel or quarantine times and can also help reduce expenses from hotels and flights.

Online meetings are simple to set up, and they’ve become more frequent in mission-driven organizations that are looking to maintain their communication despite the COVID-19 Crisis. It’s important to know the pitfalls of online meetings to avoid them and ensure that your online board meetings are as effective as they can be.

The most important consideration is the platform you use for your hybrid or virtual board meetings. Select a platform with a Waiting Room feature that protects your meeting from unauthorized participants and only admits people who have been invited by the meeting host or co-host. Give training to your board members so they can be familiar with the technology.

Encourage your board members to make use of a headset, or speakerphone during the meeting, and to tidy your office to ensure that it appears camera-ready, free of personal images and other distracting objects. Encourage them to sit in chairs instead of their couch or bed. This will allow them to appear more professional and presentable during the meeting. In addition, encourage them speak up at the start of the meeting, so that everyone can be able to hear them and begin data rooms the meeting in a positive way.