Basic Etiquette for Virtual Meetings

Recently, more and more people have been forced to adapt to the virtual environment because of the various lockdown and stay-at-home policies brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. Now, you can take your meetings while in the comforts of your premium house and lot in Ponticelli, Bacoor, Cavite.  

While virtual meetings may be the norm for multi-national companies, but it is still novel for most people. Thus, we hear criticisms about people who do not behave properly during online meetings. 

How exactly do you need to behave during virtual meetings? What is the basic decorum when attending an online conference?

Here are the basic guidelines you should remember for virtual discussions.

BEFORE THE MEETING

Basic etiquette for online meetings actually starts before joining a meeting. There are some things you need to prepare.

Test your setup

It is best to test your mic and video (if applicable) before meetings. 

If your mic malfunctions while you need to speak up, it is not only irritating but is also disruptive to the meeting flow.

Dress appropriately

Even though your co-workers know that you are working offsite, it is still not proper to wear sandos and pajamas to meetings. At the same time, you need not bring out your suits and blazers and dazzle your audience with your power dressing. Just a smart casual attire will do, unless of course, your office requires you to dress in business attire during meetings.

Turn off notifications

Even if you are not sharing your screen, notifications should still be turned off. The notification sound may be heard during the meeting, plus it diverts your focus.

Find a quiet location

If you will be taking your meeting in a one-bedroom condominium, inform your house companions so that they will avoid distracting activities as well. On the other hand, if you will be joining the meeting in an upscale property, find a quiet corner with a solid background where your family will not be able to bother you.

Join just a little bit early or on time

Whether it is a face-to-face or virtual meeting, you should always be on time. However, do not be too early. You may accidentally join a previous meeting. Just 1-5 minutes before the meeting time is acceptable.

DURING THE MEETING

Once you are ready to join the meeting, here are reminders that you should follow.

Mute your mic

If you are not talking, mute your mic. This is so that ambient sounds will not be capture and make it difficult for the audience to hear the speaker.

Focus. Do not multitask

If face-to-face can sometimes be boring, virtual presentations are probably 10x that. It is so tempting to just do your work while the speaker drones on and on about financials and other boring stuff. But do your best to focus on what is being discussed.  

Stay present

Just because it is virtual does not mean you can wander about during the meeting. Even if your video is off, stay in one place, and focus. You have probably heard funny stories about toilet flushing during meetings. Avoid distractions and stay in your place.

No interrupting others

Always allow the other person to finish what they want to say before giving your point. Interrupting is not only rude, but it is disadvantageous to you since your voice will probably not be heard.  

Turn on the video?

As a basic rule, if the meeting host turns on the video, it is common courtesy to turn yours on as well. But it may not always be the case. It also depends on a variety of factors including internet connection and your current situation.  

Whether it is a webinar, an online class, a virtual tour, or an online meeting, always show utmost respect to all the attendees.