Virtual Conferencing Amid COVID-19
Hosting and attending web conferences isn't something new. However, given the unique new normal of "social distancing" caused by COVID-19, it may be the best time to find a video conferencing program that works best for your association.
Virtual Conferencing in a Nutshell
Online meetings may be very new to you. But, think of it as a professional opportunity to use a video tool such as Skype or FaceTime. There are times when it makes sense to video conference, such as saving money on flight expenses, but now you have no choice. The good news is that you can still find comfort in having a friendly face-to-face conversation with your employees. While keeping a distance is essential right now, it doesn't mean board discussions have to cease.
What Can I Expect from a Virtual Conference?
Continue as business as usual during your virtual board meetings. You may even share your screen in case you made a presentation on PowerPoint or a similar program. It's not just a good idea to apply Robert's Rules of Order, it may be especially necessary during virtual conferencing to stick to the agenda. The board president, or designated host, is responsible for keeping the meeting on track.
Here are our suggestions on how to keep your virtual meeting on task:
Keep all conversations civil and centered on the agenda.
Allow everyone to speak who wants to before allowing someone to express their opinion again.
Board members should direct most of their questions to the president or host. However, formal discussions are permissible amongst anyone as long as they are polite.
Remain as positive as possible. As the saying goes, "you can catch more flies with honey." Keep the conversations uplifting and solution orientated.
Be sure to remind everyone in the meeting that it's crucial to stay on schedule in case the conversation does start to veer off a little. Be sure to have a clock or stopwatch, so you know how much time you have left in the meeting.
Platform Suggestions
Condominium Associate's is here to help you make the best decisions for your community. Therefore, here is a list of available services and links to the websites so you can make an informed decision. We broke them down into two categories based on service fees or whether it's free to use.
Service Fee Conferencing Tools
Why purchase a web conferencing tool when you can get many for free? One of the significant benefits is security. Another is the sound and clarity of the videos. Connectivity also tends to be an issue with some free services. Overall, we think these are the best service fee conferencing tools:
Free Virtual Conferencing Tools
At a time like this when funds are a little tighter than usual, it makes sense to go for a free conferencing tool to get over this hump. Here are the ones that we think work the best:
Give Virtual Conferences a Chance!
Still not convinced that you should be taking advantage of virtual conferencing amid the coronavirus?
1. Video conferencing frees up time for you to care for your family, especially those of you with children.
2. Your association will remain safe from spreading illnesses as well as minimizing driving time on the road.
3. Whether or not your association chooses to continue video conferencing or not, it does help those that can't physically be at a meeting to attend it virtually so as not to miss pertinent information.
Need Help Setting Up Your Web Conference?
Please call us! CA is holding board meetings, annual meetings, and individual assessment meetings online via Zoom. A mediator is present during all sessions to be sure everyone stays on task.