Is your firm prepared to meet the needs of hybrid teams?

Common wisdom says that the first step in successful change is to accept that a change is indeed necessary! This is exactly where many firms are at when it comes to their staffing and collaboration models: It’s time to adapt to the reality that the typical 9 to 5 workday is a thing of the past. It’s the same with face-to-face meetings.

Today’s employees expect to work in any environment from any computer and/or mobile device. They refuse to be tethered to a traditional office. They want to be able to work at a home office, hotel, coffee shop, or any combination of those places—and more. Prior to COVID-19, this expectation was not mainstream. Now it’s the new norm.

According to Harvard Business Review, as the pandemic eases and we resume gathering in person, hybrid meetings will become a permanent part of how organizations function. A recent McKinsey survey suggests that 90% of organizations will adopt some combination of remote and on-site work. This is what is known as a hybrid model.

The right hybrid meeting format keeps employees connected and engaged

As quoted from bucom.com, “Hybrid meetings feature at least one group of in person/face-to-face attendees connecting virtually with other meeting attendees.” There are a variety of virtual collaboration tools, such as Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, Zoom, and Ring Central, to name a few.

There are a variety of hybrid meeting types, including these two:

1. The audience is virtual and your presenter/moderator is in person, or vice versa.
2. Virtual and in-person attendees and presenters all participate in the same meeting.

No matter what shape your meeting takes, one of the keys to a successful hybrid meeting is keeping your employees focused, engaged, and participating. How can you do this at your firm? 

Here are some suggestions:

• Host your meeting in a conference room or some other room with a big screen, where in-person and virtual attendees can interact as if they were in the same room. 
• If technology limits the arrangement above, in-person and virtual attendees should attend from a desktop or laptop, rather than a mobile phone. Nobody wants to see a small talking head.  
• The virtual participants should be as life-sized as possible. The goal is for everyone to feel included and avoid side conversations that would leave out virtual participants.
• Virtual attendees should always keep their video and audio on, and in-person attendees should refrain from answering email, texts, and engaging in break-off conversations during the meeting. The goal is to keep everyone engaged and facilitate a natural flow of conversation, as if you were physically all in the same room speaking openly and freely.
• Have a designated facilitator and an agenda prior to the meeting kickoff. You want to avoid the meeting being dominated by one party or the other.
• The facilitator should engage with the virtual attendees, first, and allow all participants an opportunity to speak and share ideas. However, if one person or a select few are dominating the meeting, your virtual attendees will lose interest and disengage. 
• It takes an active facilitator to balance the input from both virtual and in-person attendees.

Having the correct technology to host a successful hybrid meeting—assuming your in-person attendees are joining from a conference room with a shared screen—is another key to a successful hybrid meeting. 

Putting your employees’ needs first is the key to building a successful remote team

Evaluate your hybrid work structure from your employees’ perspective: They need to be able to hear the in-person attendees as if they were in the same room. They also need to be able to see the whiteboard or slides, and the in-person audience needs to be able to hear the virtual attendees.

However, technology should not be the sole determinant of your path. Rather, define your goals and find the technology to fit your needs.

Regardless of the number of meeting participants, technology includes webcams, speakers, hosting platforms, computer and monitor equipment, lighting, and tripods. It goes without saying that it’s best to test your technology equipment prior to hosting your hybrid meeting. 

Custom design your hybrid solution

There’s no doubt that hybrid meetings and hybrid workforces are here to stay. The first step in succeeding in this environment is to accept that you need to structure your firm to accommodate this new normal. Then, start planning your meeting with the goal of keeping all participants engaged. The key to this is the ability to leverage technology and provide a virtual environment where all participants feel engaged, valued, and heard.

Most of all, come up with a solution that is a good fit for your firm—not someone else’s. Sure, best practices between firms can be shared, but every firm is different. Spend some time designing your solution and, of course, ask your employees for feedback.