Keeping your audience attentive during online meetings: a challenge in 2024

Since the widespread advent of online meetings in 2020, it's easy to think we've mastered the art of virtual meetings. Yet, as a Digital Coach, I see on a daily basis that even the most seasoned Microsoft Teams users still have a lot to learn. Recently, during a webinar on Teams Meetings, I had the opportunity to share some valuable insights on best practices before, during and after a virtual meeting. I'd like to share a few of them with you.

Katrin Kulawik, Learning Consultant

Beforehand | The challenge of effective preparation

Define the options

As an organizer, you can take the reins to make the meeting run smoothly, for example, by activating options such as automatic recording, turning off participants’ microphones and cameras,… These options are especially useful for meetings such as webinars as they allow you to limit unwanted interventions.

Activate a collaboration room

The convenience of a collaboration room is that you can prepare in advance documents to be shared or set up surveys. Thanks to Loop, you can collaborate directly in a Microsoft Teams chat. Loop allows a team to edit the agenda, notes or a task list before, during and after a meeting.

During | The challenge of maintaining attention and engagement

Use interactive features

Activate a Whiteboard or encourage the use of chat, polls and live responses to keep participants engaged. Soliciting responses from your audience ensures they are listening.

Meet in your native language

It’s perfectly normal to conduct meetings in a foreign language, but that’s not always easy. Sometimes we can all use a little help to better understand the speaker. So don’t hesitate to activate subtitles or have the slides on the screen translated into your native language. A little-known but useful tip!

Break the monotony

Use the Presenter View to break the monotony and position your camera like a TV presenter, or activate the meeting room setting with Together Mode where all participants are on stage. Rediscover sociability.

After | Retrieve what was discussed

Rendezvous in the chat

Find the messages exchanged, recordings, attendance lists, whiteboards, survey results, to-do lists and documents shared via the meeting chat. These items are neatly arranged in the chat tabs.

Conclusion

The new challenge of online meetings is to make sure that you, as the presenter, are actively listening to the participants. The tips in this blog are just a few examples of what you can do when hosting a meeting. Follow one of our training courses to turn your online meetings into more effective, engaging and enriching experiences for all participants.

 

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