{"id":24605,"date":"2021-02-18T10:18:30","date_gmt":"2021-02-18T10:18:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/?p=24605"},"modified":"2021-02-18T10:18:32","modified_gmt":"2021-02-18T10:18:32","slug":"how-to-achieve-more-inclusive-remote-meetings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/how-to-achieve-more-inclusive-remote-meetings\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Achieve More Inclusive Remote Meetings"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div><\/div>

How to Achieve More Inclusive Remote Meetings<\/span><\/h1>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

Meetings help shape company culture<\/span>\u00a0and are thus an important component in\u00a0<\/span>building inclusive\u00a0<\/span><\/b>organisational\u00a0<\/span><\/b>cultures<\/span><\/b>.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>However, a<\/span>ccording to\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>Harvard Business Review study <\/span><\/a>at a global bank, only 35% of employees felt able to make a contribution at all times during meetings.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>m<\/span>any meetings\u00a0<\/span>are\u00a0<\/span>now taking place\u00a0<\/span>virtually<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>a new set of tools<\/span> unique to the digital medium\u00a0<\/span>are available<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>I<\/span>t<\/span>\u00a0is\u00a0<\/span>a good idea for organisations\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>consider<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>functionalities available<\/span><\/b>\u00a0for meetings<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>conducted through digital platforms<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>as<\/span>\u00a0this<\/span>\u00a0will\u00a0<\/span>allow\u00a0<\/span>them<\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span>develop\u00a0<\/span>practices<\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span>encourage participation, <\/span>inclusion, and belonging <\/a><\/span>in this\u00a0<\/span>new working\u00a0<\/span>context.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Here are<\/span>\u00a0some of these tools and their possible benefits.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is not always those with the loudest voices\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0<\/span>those\u00a0<\/span>most eager to put themselves forward\u00a0<\/span>who have the best ideas, and it is the responsibility of the\u00a0<\/span>designated\u00a0<\/span>leader to\u00a0<\/span>encourage debate and actively develop<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>opportunities for all members to\u00a0<\/span><\/b>contribute.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>One example is using the chat to gather idea<\/span>s<\/span> from everyone, which can<\/span> create a<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>springboard for discussion<\/span><\/b>.\u00a0<\/span>Additionally, leaders could utilise the \u2018breakout\u2019 function to split participants into smaller teams, potentially aiding contribution.\u00a0<\/span>Both<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>these\u00a0<\/span>features can\u00a0<\/span>help t<\/span>o<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>ensur<\/span>e<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>a range of<\/span><\/b>\u00a0ideas<\/span><\/b>\u00a0are<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>voiced and heard.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Having a<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>host or facilitato<\/span>r<\/span>\u00a0could\u00a0<\/span>also\u00a0<\/span>be helpful<\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span>prevent interruptions and oversee a fair distribution of floor time.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>For instance, i<\/span>n case<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0where\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>\u00a0louder<\/span>\u00a0person interrupts a<\/span>\u00a0quieter one<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0host is well-positioned to\u00a0<\/span>politely direct the conversation back to th<\/span>e\u00a0<\/span>original<\/span>\u00a0speaker<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and ensure they get the chance to express the<\/span>ir idea<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>This could help to\u00a0<\/span>reinforce<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>norms for listening<\/a><\/span><\/b>\u00a0and build a positive atmosphere where\u00a0<\/span>every<\/span><\/b>body<\/span><\/b>\u2019s views are given\u00a0<\/span><\/b>adequate\u00a0<\/span><\/b>time and\u00a0<\/span><\/b>respect.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Leaders\u00a0<\/span>can\u00a0<\/span>also\u00a0<\/span>help<\/span>\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>draw<\/span><\/b>\u00a0out\u00a0<\/span><\/b>diverse\u00a0<\/span><\/b>perspectives<\/span><\/b>.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>One specific<\/span>\u00a0technique which c<\/span>ould work well<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>for this objective<\/span>\u00a0is\u00a0<\/span>\u2018<\/span>Ampl<\/span>if<\/span>ication<\/span>\u2019, which involves\u00a0<\/span>repeating the idea expressed back to the person who proposed it<\/span><\/b>,<\/span><\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>in doing so,\u00a0<\/span>prompting them to\u00a0<\/span>explain further<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>In a Forbes article,\u00a0<\/span>Robin Moriarty<\/span>\u00a0explains that this\u00a0<\/span>strategy\u00a0<\/span>can be used in situations where a participant expresses a promising idea but does not expand on it, and another person take<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0over the idea<\/span>\u00a0as though it was their own<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Instead,\u00a0<\/span>\u2018<\/span>Ampli<\/span>fi<\/span>cation<\/span>\u2019<\/span>\u00a0works by nudging people<\/span>\u00a0to e<\/span>xpand on their thoughts<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0thus appropriately attributing the idea to the person who contributed and<\/span>\u00a0ensuring<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>due credit<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>is given.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The functionalities<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>of digital tools\u00a0<\/span>could also help to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>accommodat<\/span>e<\/span>\u00a0e<\/span>mployees<\/span>\u00a0who have\u00a0<\/span>caring\u00a0<\/span>du<\/span>ties<\/span>\u00a0a<\/span>nd different working schedules.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Ch<\/span>ildcare<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>responsibilities<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>for instance,\u00a0<\/span>ten<\/span>d<\/span>\u00a0to be taken on more heavily by women than men.\u00a0<\/span>Indeed,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>recent findings<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>from the UK\u2019s Institute for Fiscal Studies<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>found<\/span>\u00a0an\u00a0<\/span>increased burden\u00a0<\/span><\/b>during<\/span><\/b>\u00a0lockdowns\u00a0<\/span><\/b>on\u00a0<\/span><\/b>working\u00a0<\/span><\/b>mothers<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>particularly<\/span><\/b>.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0Provided permission is given by participants, it is possible to record virtual meetings<\/span>, allowing working parents to catch up<\/span>\u00a0if they cannot attend a meeting<\/span>\u00a0and ensur<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0they are\u00a0<\/span>included in important developments.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once\u00a0<\/span>virtual inclusion\u00a0<\/span>strategies have been implemented and test<\/span>ed<\/span>\u00a0during a meeting, it can be useful to\u00a0<\/span>ask for feedback<\/span><\/b>\u00a0so\u00a0<\/span>organisations<\/span>\u00a0can understand how\u00a0<\/span>p<\/span>articipants<\/span>\u00a0experienced the meeting and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>ob<\/span><\/b>t<\/span><\/b>ain<\/span><\/b>\u00a0suggestions on<\/span><\/b>\u00a0how to\u00a0<\/span><\/b>further\u00a0<\/span><\/b>promote inclusion<\/span><\/b>.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

References:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. How to have more inclusive meetings over Zoom, October 2020,\u00a0<\/span>TED Ideas.<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  2. How to Make Virtual Meetings More Inclusive,\u00a0<\/span>Nobl<\/span> Academy.<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Being An Inclusive Leader In Meetings, November 2019,\u00a0<\/span>Forbes.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Meetings help shape company culture\u00a0and are thus an important component in\u00a0building inclusive\u00a0organisational\u00a0cultures.\u00a0However, according to\u00a0a\u00a0Harvard Business Review study at a global bank, only 35% of employees felt able to make a contribution at all times during meetings.\u00a0 As\u00a0many meetings\u00a0are\u00a0now taking place\u00a0virtually,\u00a0a new set of tools unique to the digital medium\u00a0are available.\u00a0It\u00a0is\u00a0a good idea for organisations\u00a0to\u00a0consider\u00a0the\u00a0functionalities available\u00a0for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":24610,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","myguten_meta_block_field":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[98],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24605","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24605"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24605\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24642,"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24605\/revisions\/24642"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24610"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24605"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24605"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strammer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24605"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}