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5 Types of Online Meeting For a Remote Team

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Team meetings, especially virtual online meetings, are beneficial for any business, as well as you and your colleagues. They help everyone keep up to date on what’s going on, particularly those working remotely, and it’s a chance to discuss any changes in projects, developments, technology, or work policies. Whether you want a premium telecommunications package or free online meeting software, there’s an option out there that works for you.

However, different types of meetings may call for different formats, depending on what works best. It’s also important to make sure that all staff are easily able to join and participate in any meeting. So, without further delay, let’s dive in and talk about 5 popular types of virtual meetings which may form part of your itinerary, and how they can be amplified by good video conferencing technology. 

 1. Catchup Meeting

Usually lasting around 15 to 30 minutes total, these meetings are often held daily or weekly, depending on the needs of the team. This allows each team member to discuss in approximately 5 minutes what they’re each working on, what they have accomplished, and what they’re having challenges with. A strong internet connection is key for this, to allow a short, sharp and focused catch up conversation without delays.

 2. Monthly or Quarterly Progress Meeting

Usually lasting about 45-60 minutes, monthly or quarterly progress meetings are a way to gain updates on bigger sales reports, departmental or company initiatives, or any larger objectives your team has. An agenda is usually necessary for such meetings and should be created ahead of time. 

 It’s recommended you allow each team member around 5-10 minutes to update everyone on progress reports. Towards the end of the meeting, set aside at least 15 minutes for questions and to finalise what has been agreed upon during the meeting. The opportunity to share your screen and files may be helpful too.

 3. Virtual Brainstorming

This lasts around 15-30 minutes and the goal is to gather ideas from the team for a project, new or ongoing. As team leader, you should encourage any and all ideas and write them on a virtual whiteboard and share the screen for your team. Vaitel has various software packages that allow for such screen sharing and whiteboard functionality while on a virtual online meeting. 

4. Hackathon/Productive Work Session/Office Hours

These meetings can take longer, maybe a couple of hours or even a full morning or afternoon, because the main goal is to boost collaborative work with other team members. Also, “hackathons” or productive work sessions give the time your team needs to work on a huge project in a shared effort environment. Just ensure you have a good video call system to be used in the meeting and an agenda or spreadsheet to keep track of progress. Make sure to schedule coffee breaks too, even during remote meetings. 

  5. Collaboration Between Teams

Cross-team collaborative meetings are for two or more teams such as sales and marketing to sync on projects or mutual goals. These can be really helpful to make sure you’re all working on a wider company objective, focusing on the bigger picture. Examples could be collaborative meetings to align before a product launch, or discussing end of year targets and how each team could help one another. 

 The Importance of Communication

We’ve briefly touched on five of the most common types of meetings for remote teams. Whatever your goal, and however big your team is, just ensure you use a good video conferencing system and strong internet connection.  Also, include the online meeting link, send an agenda ahead of time if relevant, and send a summary afterwards. Always be considerate of time zones too, if anyone is dialing in internationally, and record meetings if someone can't attend.