4 Rules for Virtual Meeting Etiquette by Hosts and Attendees

This year has given us our fair share of virtual meetings, but they were already on the rise in popularity before the pandemic took over our lives.

Familiarity with proper virtual meeting etiquette is important for attending meetings online, whether you're at home or in the office.

Whether we’re in a pandemic or not, online meetings are a great way to help businesses succeed and improve efficiencies. They're cost-effective, easy to set up and provide the opportunity to engage and communicate with others from every corner of the globe.

Keep reading for our guide on the four rules you need to know for virtual meeting etiquette by hosts and attendees.

1. Be Aware of Your Background

If you're looking to learn how to host a virtual meeting or attending one from your home, you need to make sure you're aware of your background. While you don’t have to go out of your way to invest in a home office that’s “camera-ready,” we do encourage you to sit somewhere with good lighting and a clean background.

Make sure to clean up anything that is behind you and can be seen on camera. Kids' toys or a messy kitchen in the background doesn't provide a professional appearance during a virtual meeting.

2. Dress Professionally

When you're thinking about etiquette for a virtual meeting, you need to make sure that you dress professionally. The best part about online meetings is that you only need to “dress up” from the waist up!

Dressing for a virtual meeting can be done in many different ways, but you’ll most likely want to consider what you would wear to a normal business meeting and go with that. Remember - you can always get back into comfy clothes once your meeting is over.

3. Limit Your Distractions

Hosting a virtual meeting can be difficult if you have kids playing, dogs barking, or your cellphone going off in the background. If you want your virtual meeting to be productive, then you need to limit your distractions.

Be sure to turn your phone off and go to a room where no one will distract you. Warn the people in your house that you will be in a meeting and ask them not to interrupt you. This is the best way to make sure you are engaged and focused during your meeting the entire time.

4. Mute Your Microphone When Not Speaking

If you're looking for virtual meeting host etiquette tips, then one big one is to mute your microphone when not speaking. When you are serving as the host, you might be required to talk a lot. However, when it isn't your turn to speak, then be sure to mute yourself to give full attention to the speaker.

This is also good advice if you're attending the meeting, as you don't want the other meeting attendees to be distracted by your background noise. Therefore, be sure to mute your microphone if you're not the one talking.

And, don’t forget to unmute yourself when you’re ready to chime in again!

Virtual Meeting Etiquette Everyone Must Know

There are plenty of different virtual meeting etiquette rules you need to keep in mind before jumping online. As long as you imagine you're in a regular meeting and keep the same mindset, you will do fine.

If you're looking for help with your meetings or conferences, then we have you covered! Contact us today and let us know about your organization so we can help you out.