Video conferencing is a means of communicating between a group of people, where geographic location doesn’t matter. As long as there is an internet connection and the necessary hardware, live video and audio feeds can make meetings happen.
Whether you meeting virtually because your team is widely dispersed, or due to limitations of the COVID pandemic, video can be beneficial. We’ll discuss the many advantages of this form of communication for companies and organizations.
Video conferencing has been around for a long time but has recently experienced a surge in popularity — out of necessity. But will it still be as popular when we can meet together in-person again? Yes, we think so, because the advantages as outlined below are true, regardless of situation.
1 Efficiency
Due to the nature of video conferencing, there must be a level of structure and adherence to well-ordered agendas, or the meetings become unproductive. With people joining from various locations, there has to be a set time for the meeting to begin and end. This can be a relief to attendees as they know what is expected and how to prepare. This more stringent attitude toward timekeeping is often missing from in-person meetings. People come with a mindset to work, making video conferencing more efficient.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Avoiding Online Meeting Burnout
2 More Inclusion
Increased attendance in meetings is another great advantage of the video conference call. Many of the old reasons for not attending meetings are nullified — location restrictions, transportation problems, bad weather, no time, etc.
Having broader attendance is good because employees (on-site and remote) feel more a part of the organization and better informed. It’s also beneficial for the company as increased attendance means a great diversity of voices in the meetings. Feedback is essential for the growth and development of the culture of any organization.
3 Increased Engagement
To make the meetings more interactive, organizations may use tools like MeetingPulse, that feature polls, Q&A chat rooms, surveys, and a host of other options. Attendees can register their opinions, ask and answer questions, and inform the organization of their concerns in fun and engaging ways.
The tools are intuitive and easy to use, require no downloads, and are entirely customizable. Responses to questions or polls can be shown to everyone in real-time, and the temperature of the meeting may be gauged throughout. This keeps everyone on track and lets your company know how useful the meeting is — while there’s time to course-correct.
Related: Top Interactive Online Meeting Ideas
4 Effective Communication
While the speed of email is a great benefit to companies, words are often misunderstood. Video conferencing makes it possible for workers to see and hear one another as they speak, so gestures, voice intonations, and words can form how we understand one another. And as conversations and discussions are being heard in real-time, there is less opportunity for miscommunication. Even if an employee isn’t able to attend a meeting, the meeting’s video record will ensure the first-hand account of all matters.
Better communication doesn’t just feel good. Teams are more aligned, company decisions are made faster, and overall productivity increases, all as a result of improved company communication.
5 Positive Work Environment
The flexibility of video conferencing will inherently allow employees to work from the location and environment that is most comfortable for them. The concept of allowing employees to be productive with balance in their lives will necessarily produce positive feelings toward the company.
Happier, more engaged workers are more productive, increase company profits, remain loyal to their organizations, and promote better workplace communication. It’s a positive feedback loop – engaged workers create positive work environments, and positive work environments produce more engaged workers.
6 Less Travel
We drastically underestimate how much time is spent commuting to and from work, preparing for work, and unwinding after work. It’s not until the tasks have been removed that we realize how much more time is freed up.
While schedules differ and video conferencing still requires a syncing of these schedules, it’s made much easier when commuting is removed from the list of things to do. Alignment of schedules is possible, and not only is time saved but so are the associated costs.
Related: How to Run an Online Management Meeting
7 Better Collaboration
The benefits of video conferencing aren’t just for remote workers. Employees who must collaborate on projects or weigh in on decisions, don’t necessarily work in the same location. Video conferencing enables ideas to be exchanged and decisions to be made between people without leaving their offices or locations.
This collaboration may be extended to client interactions as well. Instead of emails going back and forth, customers and all of the necessary workers and decision-makers may come together on a video conferencing call.
Conclusion
Video conferencing has many advantages for businesses and employees. We can enjoy greater efficiency of our meetings and the higher levels of productivity that result. The inclusion of more team members and increased engagement is beneficial to everyone, and better communication boosts company profitability.
The most significant advantage for most of us is the overall flexibility and convenience of video conferencing. We can remain in our location and effectively communicate with our whole team, avoiding travel time and expense.
