Getting everyone together for a discussion is real meaning of what is town hall meeting. Whatever you choose to call them, company-wide meetings are an excellent forum for sharing information about the organization as a whole, including recent accomplishments, setbacks, and opportunities missed.
In addition, it can assist and enhance your company’s culture, especially among remote teams that don’t have as many chances for face-to-face interaction.
Nevertheless, in the modern era, it is quite difficult to gather all of your personnel in one physical location. This is why an increasing number of businesses are turning to virtual town hall gatherings. Your employees can participate in a town hall meeting from the comfort of their own homes or offices anywhere in the world by using a virtual platform.
Converting a face-to-face gathering into a webcast, or vice versa might provide some unique challenges. Many people, for instance, tune out during lengthy sessions. The question of how to make a town hall meeting more interesting for employees is a valid one if you are planning one or will be presenting at one.
Tips to improve your experience in virtual town hall meetings
- Get people interested with an icebreaker
Your employees’ participation in and understanding of your virtual town hall is just as important as their physical presence. Start your town hall off with a quick icebreaker exercise to get everyone’s attention.
Or, make sure that everyone in the company meets the newest additions. These kinds of activities are great icebreakers since they help people relax and start talking to one another, which is great for team building.
- To raise morale, the organization should first and foremost recognize and celebrate its successes
Each person yearns to know that their efforts are valued. A recent poll found that public recognition and appreciation are more valuable to workers than financial rewards.
A town hall meeting is a great way to let your staff know how much you appreciate them. A great method to make your staff feel valued and safe in their position is to publicly recognize their achievements.
- Ensure that participants can participate in the video conference with minimal hassle
Since a town hall meeting often takes place during working hours, it’s important to make the most of the time allotted for it. Don’t make your staff wait around for the virtual town hall to fill up by making them set up meeting apps, input login data, etc. The meeting goes on for far longer than anyone expected, and by the conclusion, most people had already spaced out.
Use a video conferencing service that is easy to access and participate in instead. Pick a platform that doesn’t need any preliminary work on your part. To participate in the meeting, all participants need to do is follow the URL provided in the invitation email. This not only ensures that participants join on time and the meeting starts on schedule, but it also removes the barrier of a cumbersome meeting joining process.
- Don’t cut off the heads of individual departments from the conversation
While having the CEO open the meeting and provide crucial updates is helpful, having the CEO does all the talking for the whole town hall is a surefire way to lose the attention of your staff. Employees want to feel like their opinions matter, and having their leaders represent them at the meeting is a fantastic way to do just that.
Involving members from other groups in the town hall’s preparation and delivery is a great way to shake things up and make everyone feel like they’re part of the team. If any of the leaders have any announcements to make, ask them a few days before the meeting and give them the floor when it’s their turn to speak. You might also think about hiring a facilitator to help things run smoothly. This person can welcome employees who join the call, monitor the schedule, and act as a go-between between the presenters and the listeners.
- Take breaks throughout long meetings to avoid exhaustion
Some 39% of employees have dozed off on the job, according to some data provided. Give your employees lots of breaks to refocus if you don’t want them dozing off during your next virtual town hall. Set a timer for 30 minutes and have everyone take a five-minute break afterward so they can refuel with some restroom and water breaks and get some exercise.
Conclusion
A virtual town hall meeting is more than just an opportunity to report on company news and personnel changes. The company culture can benefit greatly from your all-staff gatherings. They can be used to get everyone on the same page regarding company objectives, to recognize and reward success, and to have open, two-way communication with the entire company at once. Although it may be difficult to have everyone online at the same time, making sure your staff are involved in every step of the process will make your next virtual town hall as fun as it is educational.
