EthanEspecially if you’re working from home right now or you have employees who are working from home, it’s likely that you’re going to be doing video calls for business. These business video calls can be easier said than done, however, and issues with video calls can significantly hinder your work. Consider implementing some of these best practices for video meetings in your business.
1. Check Audio and Video Before the Call Starts
As soon as you get into the call, you want to be able to start talking. If you’re having audio and video problems, however, you’ll likely have to take 5-10 minutes to iron out the problems before you’re able to get down to business. Make sure you look at yourself in your computer or phone camera and test your microphone before you start the call for best results.
2. Reduce Background Noise as Much as Possible
Background noise isn’t just distracting for the other people on the call; it’s also unprofessional and can be distracting for you as well. Before you start the call, make sure you’ve asked anyone else in the home to try to keep the noise down, moved any particularly noisy pets, and stopped anything that could make a lot of noise in the background. You should also make sure you use the mute button liberally, as it’s an effective way to make sure you’re reducing noise that happens when you’re not talking.
3. Investigate the Software You’re Going to Be Using
It’s up to you to do a little bit of your own legal services investigation when it comes to the software you’ll be using for your business calls. All video calling software options have their own commands and options. Especially if this is a brand-new video calling software that you’ve never used before, you should look into the software so you can use it to the best of its abilities.
4. Avoid Relying on Video Calls Alone
Video calls can be an immensely helpful way to make sure you and your coworkers have time together to communicate. However, video calls are also very draining and can be difficult to absorb information from when they last too long. Try to communicate using other methods as well, like phone calls and emails, so you don’t feel overwhelmed during the video calls.
5. Structure Your Calling Time to Include Some Informal Chat
Especially if you’re in a supervisory position in your company, you might want to add 10-15 minutes at the beginning of your video chats for informal conversations. In a similar fashion to real meetings, this helps everyone feel a little more comfortable near the beginning of the meeting, which can make the rest of it feel a little less awkward and formal. Even if you’re not in a supervisory position, you can request it from your supervisors.
Conclusion
Making the most of working-from-home time can be difficult. It’s true that video conferencing is immensely helpful and has allowed the work-from-home option to thrive, but video conferencing can also be difficult to pull off properly. If you take into account a few of these “best practices,” however, you’ll be more likely to use them appropriately in your workplace.
