![]() ![]() The study showed that the cognitive load of video conferencing is far higher than phone calls or in-person conversation. Recent research from Stanford University provided evidence that the “Zoom fatigue” many of us feel is real. It is trying, like hundreds of other new platforms, sites and apps, to provide us all with a solution to a very 2021 problem: despite being ubiquitous since early 2020, video calls aren’t necessarily helping us work or stay connected effectively. Universities use it to create virtual campuses individuals use it to host games nights groups of friends throw parties on it – and workers are collaborating on it. It might all sound mad, but Gather is 18 months old, has 4 million users, and recently raised $26m in investment. ![]() As I move it around with keyboard keys, I can enter and leave conversations – when I do so, a small live video of whoever I’m talking to appears above the main screen. I’m represented by a tiny, blocky avatar: a collection of dots arranged to look a bit like a person. There are pixelated potted palms dotted about my screen, a couple of banks of desks and a sofa area, all rendered in that very specific 2D map style common to early computer games. Gather is a virtual world and you choose an avatar before entering it: imagine a mid-80s Super Mario game in which, instead of jumping over his enemies, Mario has to go to the office. We’ve all dropped into a virtual meeting space on a site called gather.town, which provides free customisable spaces for anyone who wants to organise a get-together without using Zoom. This is not at all how I usually spend my Thursdays. That’s when it’s great to have built-in engagement features, so your coworkers can send a quick thumbs-up or hand-clapping emoji that will appear unobtrusively on your screen as you continue to present.Īlthough they’re often used for fun, having some options for virtual or blurred backgrounds gives employees working remotely more privacy.I ’m playing online Pictionary while chatting with five people I’ve never met. For example, you might not notice that someone is nodding their head in agreement, even if they’re on video, and wonder how people are receiving what you’re saying. Sometimes presenting to a large group virtually can be daunting without the body language you’d pick up on in an in-person meeting. Recorded meetings are also useful for when you need to refresh your memory about the specifics covered. Recording team meetings is important because it gives those who may be out sick or on vacation a straightforward way to catch up on what they missed. With a hand-raising feature, you’ll be able to indicate to others that you have something you’d like to say without cutting off the speaker or trying to find the right break in the conversation flow. Ideally, the platform will keep a record of the chat for future reference and continued communication with meeting participants.Īnyone who’s attended a virtual meeting knows that it can be more difficult to gauge when someone is done speaking than in an in-person meeting. ![]() Add thoughts and comments without interrupting the speaker as well as share relevant links, files, photos, and GIFs. Sharing your screen with meeting participants is often the easiest and fastest way to show everyone exactly what you’re discussing and to maximize productivity.Ī running chat panel is a powerful tool for a virtual meeting. Most online meeting platforms will have an app for your computer, but the addition of an app for mobile devices broadens your ability to stay connected, even when you’re not at your desk. Here are some key features to look for when choosing an online meeting platform: Thorough virtual meeting software combines typical online meeting features, like audio and video, with additional features, like a running chat log, a hand-raising feature, and different virtual reactions to cheer on presenting coworkers.Ī strong virtual meeting platform is designed to factor in all the ways that employees communicate and collaborate with one another. But video meetings allow you to see and interact with coworkers face to face, which leads to more natural conversation, collaboration, and trust. When you’re a hybrid or fully remote employee, the face time and relationship building that evolves naturally in the office can be harder to come by. Whether you’re at home, in the office, or out and about, virtual meetings help ensure that you never miss an important meeting, even if you can’t be physically present.
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