Understanding digital and hybrid meetings

The biggest challenge with hybrid meetings lies in balancing the attention and engagement between physical and digital participants. To include digital participants in discussions and decision-making, conscious efforts are required from the meeting leader. Technical problems, varying audio and video quality, and lack of visual contact can also be disruptive factors for flow and engagement in the meeting.

To create more inclusive and engaging digital and hybrid meetings, preparation, implementation and follow-up are crucial. Here is some advice for each phase:

Before the meeting

• Goals and expectations: Clarify what the meeting will achieve. Is the purpose to share information, generate ideas, or make a decision? This will shape how you prepare and structure the meeting.
• Agenda: Create a detailed agenda and send it out in advance. This helps participants prepare and contributes to a more targeted discussion. Include time estimates for each agenda item to keep the meeting on track.

• Technical preparation: Check that the technology is working properly. This includes the video conferencing platform, and participants' microphones, cameras, and internet connection.

• Recording/transcription: Inform about the recording and/or transcription of the meeting if it is intended to be carried out.

• Communication: Clear and inclusive communication from the meeting leader is necessary to keep engagement up. Be sure to address participants by name and encourage questions and comments throughout the meeting.
• Customization: Be prepared to customize the agenda based on the course of the meeting and the needs of the participants. Flexibility can contribute to more productive and meaningful discussions
  

After the meeting

• Follow-up: Distribute a meeting minutes that summarize the discussions, decisions made, and follow-up tasks with clear deadlines and responsibilities. 
• Evaluation and feedback: Ask for feedback on the meeting format and content to identify areas for improvement. This can be done through a simple digital survey or by direct follow-up.

To succeed with digital and hybrid meeting management, it takes more than just managing the technology. It is about creating a culture of open communication, engagement and inclusion. This includes:

• Active listening and engagement: As the meeting leader, show that you value your participants' contributions through active listening and follow-up questions. This encourages further participation and contributes to a more dynamic meeting. 
• Use of digital tools: Leverage available digital tools to foster collaboration and engagement. This can include screen sharing to show presentations or documents, using digital whiteboards for collaborative note-taking and brainstorming, and incorporating interactive elements such as polls or quizzes. 
• Facilitation for everyone: Make sure that the meeting is accessible to all participants, regardless of whether they attend physically or digitally. Be aware of different time zones, technological access, and personal preferences for communication.

Digital and hybrid meetings can be just as productive and engaging as traditional physical meetings – if not more so – as long as they're led in the right way. By implementing the advice and strategies outlined in this article, the quality of meetings is significantly improved. Continuous evaluation and adaptation will ensure that you keep up with changes in technology and attendee expectations, so that meetings always promote collaboration, inclusion, and productivity.