According to the Meetings Outlook Winter Edition, a publication of the Meeting Professionals International, the economic recovery is in full swing and business optimism is on the rise. However, an air of uncertainty lingers within many industries that have been affected by cutbacks and layoffs. Employees are finding themselves with far more work to do in much less time than they would like to have, and are often pressed for time when arranging important meetings.
Of the meeting planners surveyed, 46 percent reported that meeting lead times are shorter. Respondents also report that higher ups pressure for innovative solutions despite tight budgets and sparse funds that are often given up only grudgingly—hence, the rise in virtual meetings. According to the report:
Against this backdrop, many meeting pros are turning to technology to lower costs, speed up planning and enhance the value of the programs they plan. They’re using technology to improve logistics, capture data, communicate and do outreach.
The report goes on to say that 54 percent of the subjects say that their business uses virtual and hybrid meetings to “enhance face-to-face meetings and to integrate on-site and remote meeting elements.” To that end, ITBusinessEdge has created a guide to help businesses plan and host engaging and effective virtual meetings.
In our IT Downloads section, our Virtual Meeting Checklist provides a detailed list of items to consider prior to and during a virtual meeting. Within the download, the checklist offers tips such as:
- Testing audio and visual equipment and/or software prior to meetings
- Muting the audio lines for clarity during presentations
- Calling on remote attendees by name to ensure they are not left out of conversations
Also in our IT Downloads section, our Effective Meeting Checklist can help ensure that every aspect of your meeting (virtual and on-location) is productive for all attendees. After all, meetings take up time in the busy schedules of many employees. They should have an agenda and meet a specified objective; otherwise it’s just a waste of everyone’s time.
