april2021 - 11

THE STAFFING & HR ADVISOR

Hosting Video Calls in a
Changed Business World
PAUL McDONALD

Senior Executive Director
Robert Half
paul.mcdonald@cpapracticeadvisor.com

■ No agenda, no meeting - Having an
agenda is vital for keeping attendees
on task at any meeting. But in a forum
where people are often distracted
and tempted to multitask, following
an agenda is even more critical.
Create a PowerPoint presentation
that can hold people's attention and
make the first slide a depiction of the
agenda. Include the purpose of the
meeting, the objectives that need to be
achieved and how long the discussion
will last. After a brief on-camera
welcome, share your screen and start
the PowerPoint deck you've prepared.
Refer back to the agenda throughout
the meeting as a visual reminder of
what's next as the meeting progresses.
■ Use visual stimuli - The rest of your
PowerPoint can include infographics
of the main points you want to make
to your CPA team. This gives them
something to focus on while you're
speaking. Just be careful when you
share your screen that you have
minimized anything that's not for
public eyes.
■ Have a backup plan - Technical
issues can be a headache and a huge
waste of time. In your meeting invite,
include a phone number that people
can dial into should the video call fail.
Being ready to revert to a telephone
conference allows discussions to
continue with minimal disruption.
If you don't, you could lose valuable
time and cause people to tune out
even before you've begun.
■ Get everyone involved - Keep
an eye out for anyone not actively
participating and invite them to share

WITH A LARGE proportion of the workforce still confined to their homes, virtual meetings have proven a remarkably effective way for finance and accounting firms to align
remote teams and keep workers connected. However, best practices for using of this
technology are still evolving and the learning curve continues. Here are my golden rules
for professionals charged with hosting video calls:
their thoughts.
■ Set some ground rules - To help
the meeting run smoothly, kick it off
by letting attendees know how and
when to ask questions. They can, for
example, raise a virtual hand or use
the chat function. Advise them to turn
off their microphone when they're
not speaking.
■ Video on, sound off - If bandwidth
allows, ask participants to keep their
cameras on. Not only does this allow
you to read visual cues but it makes it
easier to spot if someone isn't paying
attention. Let them know your plan
in your meeting invitation so people
know in advance they'll be on camera.
■ Keep to time - Communicating on
a screen is more tiring for the brain
than in-person discussions, making
it harder to maintain concentration.
Turn your camera back on yourself
regularly during the meeting so
people aren't just staring for long
periods at what's on your laptop.
■ Show empathy. Don't forget that
people are stressed in all kinds of
ways during these long months of
operating out of their homes. They
still need a human touch, but how do
you provide it in a virtual meeting?
At minimum, start the call by simply
asking participants how they're
doing during this unprecedented
time. Depending on the relationship
you have with attendees, maybe it's
bringing your child or pet in front of
the camera to say hello.
■ Always follow up - Sending a
summary of discussion points to

participants post-meeting where you
flag any actions and deadlines sets a
tone of accountability.
■ Consider alternatives - Tech issues,
interruptions and over-scheduling are
just some of the factors that can lead
to ineffective discussions and video
call fatigue. Could that reconciliation
statement be with an old-fashioned
phone call? If a group discussion is
more appropriate, keep the guest
list to a minimum. The fewer people
involved, the easier it is to facilitate a
productive virtual discussion.
Of course, not all the video meetings you host will be with internal
staff. It's also necessary to engage
with clients virtually these days. Here
are some tips for on-screen etiquette
that will help all participants get the
most out of your virtual meetings.
■ DO check your tech - Technical
issues can sabotage any meeting, so
make sure you're not the problem
if they occur. Test out your sound,
video and microphone in advance
and troubleshoot any new software.
■ DON'T multitask - It's easy to
tell when someone is staring at a
web browser or reading an email,
compared to listening attentively.
It is totally unprofessional and
disrespectful to the people you're
trying to communicate with not to
give them your full attention even
when you're not " on. "
■ DO check your background - If
you're working from home with
children in the house, rooms can be
quickly turned upside down. Messy

APRIL 2021 ■

backgrounds are distracting and
make you look unprofessional. If you
haven't had time to tidy up, use a
virtual background instead.
■ DON'T use speakerphone - Be
considerate to other participants by
speaking as clearly as possible, ideally
through a headset. Make sure you're
in a quiet space where you're unlikely
to be interrupted.
■ DO come prepared - It might be
easier to wing it during a virtual
meeting, but it's not a good idea. Being
ready to participate in discussions
articulately is a basic courtesy to your
colleagues.
■ DON'T interrupt - Bear in mind that
there's often a delay during online
meetings so pause after asking a
question or listening to someone's
response. Unless you're invited to
ask questions, use the chat function
to avoid inadvertently talking over
someone.
■ DO connect on a human level - Even
though you're physically distanced,
remember your colleagues are more
than just faces on a screen. Life is
challenging for everyone right now
so do your best to be kind, tolerant
and supportive.
Doing business during a pandemic
is a new experience for everyone
and there isn't a rulebook for how
to navigate this new normal. Many
virtual meetings can be frustrating
and ineffective, but with a little
thought and preparation they can be
made effective, efficient - and even
enjoyable. ■

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april2021

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