Suddenly Virtual

In early 2020, much of the world undertook a massive, joint experiment in virtual meetings and remote work as the COVID pandemic took hold around the planet. Companies that were previously content to fly their employees around the country and the world for a single afternoon meeting were now forced to implement virtual meeting protocols to combat the spread of the virus. However, many of these protocols were ad-hoc and less-than-effective. Suddenly Virtual: Making Remote Meetings Work delivers a science-based and practical guide to navigating and optimizing virtual meetings. The distinguished authors highlight new research insights springing from the rapid and exponential adoption of virtual meeting technology. They discuss the problems, challenges, and pitfalls of meeting in this new way, and offer straightforward, actionable best practices that overcome these problems. The book shows readers what happened to meetings when the world made a sudden shift to remote working during the COVID crisis and how video collaboration has become a viable alternative to face-to-face meetings. You'll learn about how best practices in meetings before COVID still apply but there are new best practices to now consider to make your virtual video meetings better. Finally, the authors discuss the biggest opportunities and challenges of virtual meetings, including the value of turning the webcam on, how to combat a loss of engagement amongst attendees, and the perils of violating professional meeting etiquette. Perfect for professionals and knowledge workers who are suddenly expected to perform at their usual high level from their home offices and kitchen tables, Suddenly Virtual: Making Remote Meetings Work will also earn a place in the libraries of educators who've been tasked with teaching in an entirely new way.