Hybrid meetings

Before the pandemic, there was a clear preference for people who were there in person over those who joined online or by phone. During the pandemic, this mostly stopped, and everyone joined a virtual conversation on the same level. There was more equality because there was only one way to connect. All interactions were made for virtual engagement, and everyone in the virtual room ended up getting equal attention. As we move into the future, there are calls from some areas to keep a virtual-first approach unless everyone who needs to be at the meeting can be there in person.

In the course of an interview with TechRadar, Darren Murph stated, “The main challenge will be ensuring collaboration remains equitable, with half of meeting attendees in the room and half dialing in over video...”

So, how do you avoid the disconnect that happens when people work together in person with people who work remotely and when people who work from home share information through digital channels but don't include on-site office members?

I think the most effective approach is to start with the virtual world. We're finding that this is the most welcoming experience for everyone in the groups we're working with.

Universities and some government agencies are working quickly to develop new ways for people to talk to each other in person and online at the same time. This might work if technology makes it possible. This hasn't been shown on a large scale, especially in a way that is easy to get to and doesn't cost much. For now, we still think that the virtual approach should come first.

We can try one of these three things to help hybrid meetings: