Hybrid meeting

In meetings that are only digital or purely physical, everyone participates on equal terms. A good hybrid meeting places great demands on inclusion and participation. It happens that those who are physically present talk to each other, make quick internal jokes or comment on something that happens in or outside the meeting room. What happens on the spot can be more difficult to perceive for those who participate at a distance, who may therefore feel excluded.

It is important that even those who participate via Zoom feel seen, listened to and that they participate and contribute on equal terms. And there, as a meeting leader, you have a great responsibility to ensure that all participants can take part in the entire meeting in a fair and inclusive way. It is also important that those who participate via the link also ensure that they are active participants.

If you decide that a hybrid meeting is the best form for your meeting, think carefully well in advance of the meeting:

• What is the purpose and goal of the meeting? What should we have achieved when the meeting is over?
• Who needs to attend the meeting and what are they expected to contribute?
• What technical tools will be needed at the meeting? Are there webcams, speakers and microphones in place and how do they work? Do you or the participants need to install any software or application?
• There are a plethora of technical aids for creating good and including meetings. Should the participants be able to be divided into smaller discussion groups? Should we use whiteboards or polls?
• Prepare the agenda, link, and documentation to send out to all participants well in advance of the meeting so everyone has time to prepare.
• How long should the meeting be? How many breaks are needed and when should they be on the agenda? If the agenda is long, book two appointments rather than a single long one because it is more strenuous for the brain to participate in digital meetings. Digital meeting participants need at least one break per hour!

During the meeting

• Join the meeting well in advance to test technical equipment and links.
• Ask participants to join the event at least 5 minutes before the it begins, so that there are time to solve any technology problems and still start the meeting on time. Make sure that there is a common chat or that all meeting participants have your telephone number to be able to get in touch in the event of any technical problems.
• Appoint an assistant, co-host, who can keep track of the chat and raised hands so that you as a meeting host can focus on leading the meeting and include all participants.
• If you have a presentation round, do not forget those who participate via the link.
• Review the rules for the meeting. For example, ask everyone to have their microphone muted when not talking to avoid acoustic distorsions and annoying background noise. Also remind the participants sitting in the same room to avoid internal discussions and the importance of including those who are on the link in the conversation.
• Go through the meeting's goals and what expectations you and your participants have at the beginning of the meeting.
• Avoid long draws and lectures. Rather send out the material in advance and for an inclusive discussion based on it.
• Throughout the meeting, make sure to lead the meeting actively and ask inclusive questions and to gather opinions and reflections from all participants, not least those who are involved via the link. Encourage participation and commitment among your participants.
• Be clear about what decisions are made and agree on follow-up and who does what with clear deadlines.
• Finish by evaluating the meeting. Were the goals achieved? Take a round among the participants where they can say what was good and what can be done better next time. It's a great way for you to quickly become a pro at leading hybrid meetings!

After the meeting

• Send out memoranda, the minutes with decisions or follow-up points to all participants.

Read more about e-meeting in a physical meeting room here

Remember that practice makes perfect!
Be sure to train with some co-workers beforehand. Try to train in a physical room that has the technical meeting equipment so that you can get to know how it all connects and works.