UXL Blog

We’re now two and a half years past the beginning of the COVID pandemic, and the business landscape has been forever altered. One of the most obvious changes is the amount of time we spend in virtual meetings. With many people working at home either full- or part-time, it makes sense to connect in a virtual space. But we all know this way of working can have its pitfalls.

Staring into a screen can be draining (or even anxiety-inducing), it’s more difficult to read body language or have side conversations, and the flow of conversation isn’t always natural. On top of that, many of us are experiencing the phenomenon of “Zoom Fatigue,” where we feel burned out by (seemingly endless) virtual meetings.

How can you create an engaging virtual meeting?

As a leader, it’s highly likely you’ll have to lead virtual meetings. Despite their bad rap, you can make online meetings engaging (and maybe even fun!). I suggest trying the following:

1. Keep them short

Studies show that people begin to experience Zoom Fatigue after 30 minutes of constant screen time. Keep that in mind when you’re prepping a meeting. If the meeting will last longer than 30 minutes, consider building in a stretch break or encouraging everyone to shut off their screens for a couple minutes to regroup.

2. Start strong

If you start the meeting by being unenthusiastic or long-winded, people will quickly lose interest and it will set a bad tone for the rest of the meeting. Instead, try kicking off your meeting with an activity. This could be an icebreaker question, a brief round of trivia (think, five questions), or a game (a word search, “spot the differences” pictures, a collaborative round of Wordle). Get everyone’s energy and enthusiasm up.

3. Make it interactive

Whenever it makes sense to ask for input or feedback, ask it. You might hold a brief brainstorming session, ask for ideas/opinions, or simply ask, “Does anyone have any questions so far?” When you ask for feedback, don’t forget to give people time to answer. One or two seconds is not enough for many people. When you sit in silence for 10 or 15 seconds, you’ll find that people will muster up the courage to speak up.

4. Collaborate

Look for opportunities to include your team in the meeting planning and execution. Perhaps it makes sense for someone to deliver an update, or for someone to give a brief tutorial. Adding in another presenter is a great way to keep people’s interest and help them feel included in the meeting.

We all know virtual meetings can be a drag, but they don’t have to be! Take a little time to prep, get creative, and be mindful of when your team needs a break. By emphasizing interaction and team involvement, your meetings might become something people look forward to—a rare thing in the era of Zoom Fatigue.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 

HER NEW EBOOK IS CALLED A QUICK GUIDE TO COURAGE

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