Virtual board meetings are now a permanent component of many companies’ board member and director engagement. While remote working used to be thought of as a temporary measure to aid organizations in battling the COVID-19 crisis, it’s now a feature that is incorporated into their director and board member engagement. It may take some time for boards to become comfortable and productive in virtual environments.
The most obvious challenge is that it’s difficult to create the same kind of camaraderie, interaction and camaraderie in a virtual gathering as it is in a live meeting. Adding an interactive component to meetings such as breakout sessions, a quiz or even a poll can help in breaking long presentations and allowing more participation. Another issue is that interacting online can be daunting for those unfamiliar with communicating through video conference or teleconferencing tools, leading to lower than usual engagement levels.
It is essential to choose a technology platform that is easy to use for online board meetings. It is helpful to run through the technology before the meeting to ensure everyone is equipped with the right equipment and is able to take part without difficulty. Limiting the duration of online meetings can aid in preventing screen fatigue. People may be uncomfortable when they are staring at a computer screen for too long. The inclusion of a brief agenda with estimates of time limits for each item will help in the pace of the meeting and help the chair in directing the meeting.