Things to Keep in Mind Running a Remote Meeting

Working Remote comes with challenges when it comes to attending/running meetings

I work remote. I have for 4 years and I have learned some great things from it. What works for me and my co-workers, what does not, and specifically how I work best while being remote. And throughout that time I have run remote/virtual meetings and been a part of meetings in a remote fashion, in both good and bad ways. Below I am going to discuss some common issues I keep running into and bringing up to people regarding keeping people “not in the room” engaged in meetings. Hopefully, others can use this information to run meetings where remote people feel more engaged and included. And I can personally use it as a checklist as I run these meetings myself. “Eat my own dog food” in essence. Caveat: I am in the US and have a great broadband connection and good cellphone coverage so I can be a part of these meetings in a lot of places. Keep that in mind as you read this.

Remote is Here to Stay

You can read countless articles, watch videos, listen to webinars and see job postings: working remote is here to stay. There are a world of benefits for this (time, work/life balance, less traffic) for those that can work remote and stay motivated. I am not suggesting EVERYONE can do this. I am saying given the right fit, personality, access to good connections, and the type of work being performed I believe remote workers can and will thrive. And this trend of working remote is not going away, it is increasing. Personally, I am a software engineer and people in my profession use online tools or network-based tools a lot. So we have to be connected. We do not necessarily have to be physically in the room to get our work done. I know of architects, real estate people, CTO’s, as well as online classroom teachers who are remote workers as well. I also know people who want to be in an office physically to shape their brains to work correctly with the right environment. All of these are mixed together in today’s environment (in the US at least) and we need to find ways to evolve that working relationship in better ways. Especially when running meetings.

Given this “assumption” above, realize that working remote or “tele-working” (or a distributed workforce or whatever old / new term you use) is a relatively newer concept when taken in the context of going-to-work over the last 100+ years. We are still learning how to do it well. I am in my 40’s and I can remember people using modems and such in the 1980’s and onward to tele-work or work-from-home every so often; however, it was nowhere near the broadband-video-from-my-desk type of remote working you see today. For software engineers like myself working remote is fairly “normal”. For a doctor maybe not so much. For a worker at a retail store, you really need to be there physically in person. Again, the job fit has to be there and the person and personality has to fit the role in a remote fashion. And your company has to allow this without the “if I don’t see you, you are not working” mentality.

So given this information above and my experience over the last 4+ years, I have a list of things below to keep in mind whether you are running a meeting or attending a meeting where there will be remote workers. Some of these seem like common sense. Some of these are personal pet peeves. Some of these you may not have even thought of yet. I invite you to read these below and see how they apply to you, your co-workers, your consultants, your clients, and your business partners alike.

Setting up the Meetings

First and foremost, make sure you need the meeting! If you can handle this with a quick phone call or email or status report or Slack post, do that. And let people keep their work momentum moving. And don’t have the meeting. However if you do need the meeting, please continue reading.

I believe whenever you setup a meeting you should include a link to use online tools for those that will not physically be there. Every single time without fail. Whether it is Google Hangouts Meet, Zoom, Cisco Webex, GoToMeeting, Skype or any of the other derivates you should include a meeting link that gives video and dial-in instructions to connect to the meeting. If you can have everyone use video, I highly recommend that. Of course using video = more bandwidth so you have to be prepared for that. Giving a link allows remote people to actually feel invited and wanted in a meeting. It allows the meeting to happen at varying times in case someone is on the road, working from home, sick, remote, or traveling. And the feeling of “damn, I have to ask YET AGAIN for a link to connect into this meeting” from those not physically in the room goes away. I can tell you this starts to piss you off if you have to keep asking for a dial-in or meeting link over and over.

Adding a dial-in or video connection to your meeting in Google Suite

This seems like a simple thing I know. I can tell you, though, I have to ask for this almost once a week on meetings I am in. And it is very frustrating and exclusionary. If you have a link and the information included for connecting in remotely, people can use it. If no one uses it, nothing is lost. From a personal standpoint, I use Google Suite for my corporate work so I have access to include that on any calendar event. So I add it every time like the image shows just above.

Best Time Available

When you have people working remote it could be for any number of reasons. Distance to work. A sick family member. Traffic congestion. Busy family life. Not in the same time zone. Not in the same country. Not on the same continent! (Soon, if Elon Musk has his way, not on the same planet!) If you have remote workers you should try to keep in mind who needs to be there, why, and then figure out the best possible time to schedule the meeting. It will never be perfect and some will request a proposed time change. I believe we need to think beyond just ourselves and our local surrounding and see the best fit for the meeting. You may or may not agree with this depending on your place on the corporate hierarchy and your own self-worth. Whether you do or don’t agree, I believe this is needed.

For a remote software geek like myself, the only things that get in the way would be family appointments (doctor, dentist, practices). Otherwise I am wide open to meet from about 6am ET to almost 10p ET. After 10p, my brain is usually shut down and I am not responsible for anything I do or do not say! If for some reason there is a meeting where I am not at my desk at home and there is a dial in or video connection, I can be anywhere there is good broadband or cell phone coverage and jump in. And I should do that if at all possible. That is almost a responsibility when you are working remote in my opinion. Along with that, make sure you are accessible or let folks know when you will not be. Remote workers cannot hold the rest of the group hostage on time slots. Remember, situations will differ of course on why people are working remote. What I am suggesting is taking all that into account across all those who need to attend the meeting when you schedule the meeting and include a way to connect in remotely.

People Running the Meeting Should Keep in Mind…

When you are running or moderating the meeting, there are a few things I believe you have to keep in mind to do it effectively when people are remote.

1. Be on time and setup the connection before the meeting kicks off. This allows all people to ensure their connection works, the software to connect works, and they are ready to hit the ground running. And you do not use valuable time up troubleshooting dropped calls and video connections.
2. Make sure the microphone in the room that picks up people talking is central and able to pick up anyone talking in the meeting. And try not to have the meeting in an open, busy area. I have to ask quite often for people to repeat themselves because this is not happening. Once a meeting starts, those in the meeting physically tend to talk to those they can physically see until the habit of including everyone remote is engrained. Having the microphone central helps to keep good communication flowing.
3. Avoid the side chatter, and make sure you enforce that throughout the meeting. If you are working remote, those things overtake the main conversation and you lose the ideas and work being done in the meeting during that time. It is bad enough when in a room and this happens. It is far, far worse when remote.
4. Have good speakers, and present on a larger screen if at all possible. Visually seeing people makes a better, more personal connection that just on a phone. Communication verbally is great. However seeing the visual gestures, expressions, body language, posture, etc. also tells a lot about the conversations on all sides. Good speakers and good video within a larger group meeting help with this.
5. Make sure the people that are remote need to be in the meeting. Meetings != work IMO. And keep the meeting brief and on the agenda you sent out with the meeting invite. I know that when working remote I feel like I get a lot more done without the chatter, drive-by’s and pop up meetings happening. I am not anti-social. I am pro get-sh*t-done. I even have 2 coffee mugs to prove it! So please ensure those invited have to be there. Take notes/minutes for those not there.
6. Ensure all the side conversations, water-cooler talk, coffee-maker talk, etc. that impact the meeting topic(s) are known throughout if needed for context in the meeting. And ensure the meeting is completely done before people disconnect and leave the meeting area.
7. Set the agenda and ensure remote folks know what to expect. Brevity is great in these scenarios.

Some of these are common best practices even if everyone is in the room. It is very important to keep these in mind when running meetings with remote people involved. This does not solve the “keep remote workers in the loop on everything going on”. It does help include them in these meetings in a more successful manner.

People in the Room Should Keep in Mind…

Here are a few things to keep in mind if you are in a meeting and there are remote people involved.

1. If you are using a whiteboard, have a camera pointing to it you can share out with the group. Or use an online whiteboard or https://www.draw.io or something similar so all can participate and view it.
2. If you have handouts, make sure you email them to remote people AND you let them know when you are referencing them or pointing to them physically in the meeting. I have gotten lost a few times recently in meetings where people drew out something or had a handout that you had to physically see and they were talking to it with those in the room. And never said anything to those not in the room on what they were doing. They PRINTED it out, so it is available digitally…just sayin’! So it should be shared to those not physically present if possible and legal.
3. If you are speaking, make sure you speak up so everyone can hear you. If it is the first time speaking in that meeting you may want to say who you are as well. For example, “This is Dale Bingham. I have a question on….” so people who are remote know who you are in case not everyone has video, the video is not pointing in your direction, or they do not yet know the distinct sound of your voice.

Example of a remote meeting tool

People who are Remote Should Keep in Mind…

If you are remote and are attending one of these meetings there are also things I believe you (we) need to keep in mind. This could be a remote employee, a remote contractor, a remote sales rep, or anyone else that needs to be in the meeting and is not physically there.

1. Mute your DAMN CONNECTION if you are not talking! This is a pet peeve of mine, can you tell!?!? I do not need to hear you eating, typing, breathing heavily (because you are sick, not because you are disturbed), or hear the coffee shop or Panera Bread you are in while working. So please mute your phone or connection. Thank you! (soap box now returned…)
2. Come prepared and ensure your connection works. That means making sure whatever software you need, browser add-on, and network connection all can work for the meeting before it starts. You already have to push hard to be included in these things correctly. Do not give them a reason to go against that.
3. If you have something to add, unmute (remember to do that!) and chime in to feel included. To add value. To remind people you are online with them. And keep engaged with the people in that meeting.
4. If using a video chat, make sure you are presentable! Proper clothes, neat hair or hat (I have no hair, so easy for me to say right!?), etc. I have a rule of underclothes / shirt / shorts at a minimum for anyone I work with. For me and for them. Even if just on the phone. It is a bare minimum I realize that. Even though I do not like wearing socks or shoes (ask my wife), I do make sure I am as presentable as possible for phone and video chats.
5. If using a video chat and you keep the video live, people see EVERYTHING you do and what is done around you. Everything. Be careful on this! Working remote may have brought up some bad habits of rolling eyes, scratching places, picking things (eww), or exerting bodily noises because no one else is around. In these meetings, you should imagine yourself in that room physically and act accordingly.

Dress appropriately for the meeting…

Things To Do Going Forward

I do not claim to be an expert in managing remote teams, remote meetings, remote worker policies, and things of that nature. I do claim to have 4+ years experience and seeing trends that help make these types of remote/virtual meetings work great and the opposite as well. I have been in meetings that span continents (North America, Asia, Europe) using Zoom that are run better than those with a company I have worked with day-in and day-out that is 2 hours away. These things listed above are from my perspective as a software engineer and having a dedicated office in my house to work from with great broadband and good cell phone coverage. And I have talked to others that are in a similar situation around the US and have similar gripes and complaints as well as success stories. So I am putting this out there to see if others can relate to these situations and for those who want to possibly try some things to improve their meetings with remote workers. Or even as a remote worker attending these meetings.

If you are someone running these types of events, reach out separately to those that are not physically in the room when you meet and ask them to comment on some of these things above. Get suggestions from them. Suggest things to them. Open up the communication on this in both directions. See if you can form some good habits in running these meetings and have them form good habits attending them. I have tried to get to the “unconscious competent” realm of these personally and do things out of habit to be a good meeting moderator or attendee. And I will continue to work on improving that so I can get others to include us remote workers in a more positive way.

I hope you got something out of this!