I’ll never forget a 30-minute pre-pandemic conference call I once had with some colleagues. Three of the participants, including the host, called from the office; two of us called in from home. The host waited until the 26th minute to ask the virtual team if we had any questions. Up until that point, he seemed to have forgotten that we were on the other end of the line, waiting to give our input about the project at hand. Not only did he come across as self-centered, but by not allowing his virtual team to contribute to the conversation until the very last minute, he short-changed himself. It was innocuous, but it perfectly epitomized a classic problem that remote workers often run into: being an afterthought to the “core” office team.
Do Your Remote Employees Feel Included in Meetings?
Three ways to level the playing field.
December 02, 2020
Summary.
Many knowledge workers had their first stint of remote work during the pandemic quarantine this year. As we phase back in to in-person meetings and office life, what lessons from our time away from the office can we apply to our return? The author offers several successful approaches I’ve seen in her work as a consultant, including tapping remote workers first, giving both introverts and extroverts space to contribute, and bringing new life to standing team meetings.