Is virtual meeting and employees working remotely the new thing? Is it good or bad for business?

Introduction

To mitigate the impact of COVID- 19 pandemic, many countries imposed health security measures and travel restrictions. This was in an attempt to curb its spread. To de- congest offices, companies urged their employees to work from home. For this reason many people were not able to go to work or attend abroad meetings. Virtual conferences offered an alternative to conventional face- to – face meetings. So, what are virtual meetings? Virtual meetings are real – time interactions that take place over the internet using integrated audio, video and chat tools.

It has provided workers with the sense of social connection even with them working away from each other. Many companies are now considering its long term use. So, what are the pros and cons if you decide to use virtual meetings in your business?

Pros if you use virtual meetings in your business

Despite of growing prevalence, virtual meetings are often seen as inferior to real- time conversations. People are still viewing it as a temporary solution until they are able to meet again. But is it time to reassess the value of virtual meetings? Should businesses embrace the use of virtual and benefit from several of its advantages? We will review some of these benefits that you can get if you decide to use or continue using virtual meetings in your business.

1. Reduced time wasting

With virtual meetings, you are saved the hassle of thinking about booking a board room, whether it’s big enough for the invitees or even scheduling the same meetings. Plus, time wasted in the physical act of getting to these meetings that take approximately 10 to 15 minutes is completely ruled out.

2. Easier to cost

With virtual meetings being digital, you are able to quantify all time your company spends on different catch- ups and meetings. When you compare this to the actual meetings you will realize that a lot of time and cost to hold these meetings have been saved.

3. Direct communication

In virtual meetings, one doesn’t know who you are speaking to. For this matter, you will be forced to mention people’s names. This provides an opportunity for a more engaging and interactive meeting.

Despite having great advantages to your business, it also has disadvantages that we will help you look at.

Cons of using virtual meetings

1. Group size

Virtual meetings work well for small groups. For reason, its usually difficult to manage large gatherings.

2. No social interaction

Virtual meeting looses the impersonal chemistry and synergy that develops in face- to – face meetings. But during this period, this should not be much of a worry for you.

3. Unique challenges

In virtual meetings, it’s difficult to identify who is speaking, ensuring equality and fairness and also the ability to count votes.

Conclusion

With the current situation of an ongoing pandemic, it’s advisable for you to use virtual meetings in your business. It will help you meet your country’s health security measures of de- congesting offices.