As countries implement varying degrees of lockdowns to tackle the global coronavirus outbreak, we see employees across the world getting acclimatised to business-wide remote work arrangements, video conferences and virtual collaborations.

With a substantial number of professionals in Vietnam desiring at least some form of remote work arrangement in a 'post COVID-19 normal', it pays to optimize home environments for greater productivity by setting boundaries - both physically and mentally. Try creating dedicated work spaces that are "distraction-free" zones, and set up a routine that allows you to mentally start and leave work at specific hours. Scheduling regular catch-ups, either through video calls or instant messaging, with colleagues and management within and across teams can help meet social and work needs, and are great opportunities to foster the right company culture.

The virrtual meetings is the most efficient communication at TIGO during pandamic

Employees (and employers) save commuting time and costs. Higher autonomy and less office interruptions can increase the productivity of employees. Employees can completely customize their working setup.

10 benefits of virtual meeting from TIGO's point of view

The potential here is huge—while virtual meetings might not materially solve the productive problems of meeting culture itself, they actually offer several advantages over in-office meetings. As we learn to adjust to hybrid ways of working, there’s huge opportunity to improve the basic structures shaping our collaboration. We would all do well to remember the biggest benefits of virtual meetings as we rewrite old inefficiencies.

1. Reduced time wasting

With virtual meetings, the amount of scheduling and logistical faff surrounding a meeting tends to be significantly lower than with in-person meetings. You don’t have to think about booking a room, or worry whether your meeting space is big enough for all invitees, should they turn up. You don’t have to factor in whether or not certain employees are even in the office that day. Plus, the physical act of actually getting to a meeting room can easily take 10 or 15 minutes, as people try to finish up what they’re doing, dash to the bathroom, or make themselves a drink before leaving their desk. When you dial in at a set time, all that disappears.

2. Improved communication

Recording important meetings and distributing them to a wider audience is an easy way to ensure all team members stay looped in on critical communications without taking up valuable production time or losing vital context.

Virtual brainstorming: a remote meeting where colleagues in different locations get together to have a discussion and come up with ideas to solve a problem. This is typically done with screen sharing software so that everyone can engage in face-to-face dialog despite not being in the same location. 

3. Ease of costing

When all your meetings are digital, it becomes infinitely easier to quantify all the time your company spends on different catch-ups and communications. This is crucial if you are billing for all client time, or simply want to map where time goes across different projects. With a flawless digital record of all meeting time, you can instantly see which meetings cost you the most (both in time and money). With an work hours tracker set up, your team can accurately record how long each meeting took, who attended, and any follow-up work it created.

4. Ease of saying “no”

Not only do virtual meetings make it easier for you to leave, should you feel they’re unproductive or irrelevant, they also make it easier for you to opt-out ahead. When you’re sent a digital meeting invitation, it’s no biggie to decline it or respond with “maybe”. You probably won’t feel awkward about doing that, but in the office, when a coworker or manager asks if you’re joining the meeting, it’s harder to say no. Circumventing office politics, this makes it easier to protect time for the work that actually matters with deep work.

5. Ease of declining.

Almost all of us have experienced the frustration of sitting in a meeting we have absolutely no need to be in. No matter how annoying it is, it’s still hard to stand up in front of our colleagues and physically leave the meeting—no matter how good our excuse might be. In virtual meetings, it’s much easier and far less socially awkward to leave a meeting if it’s not relevant to you. And of course, one of the most convenient excuses is that we have another important video meeting we need to join right away….

6. Less small, trivial talk

Another perk of having a tighter agenda means eliminating small talk and unnecessary pleasantries. It’s nice to be nice, but we don’t need to chit chat for the sake of it when it’s eating into valuable time—and hopefully your team creates dedicated virtual spaces for catching up. Without any awkward small talk, meetings can stay work-focused and on track.

7. Flexible, secure business communication

Many tech-savvy companies have switched to cloud-based communication systems, replacing costly phone lines with online communication's security and scalability. The switch makes it extremely easy to record and distribute online meetings. What once required bulky machines and microphones that malfunction is now a built-in feature of most modern business communication software.

With so many business meetings being conducted online, it's easier than ever to take advantage of call and meeting-recording capabilities to improve your business communication.

8. More focus on the talk thanks to digital note-taking

What if your company doesn't have the funding or the staff to take notes at meetings properly? If you only need decision-makers on a call, it can be awkward to force someone to take notes to share with the rest of the participants. Recording the call solves this dilemma.

Call recordings can act as digital note-takers, saving you time and money. Recording a meeting also helps prevent distraction, letting your key stakeholders fully focus on the conversation rather than taking notes.

9. Administrative support

Many companies task administrative assistants to take notes during meetings, distribute minutes, and archive these records for future reference. When online meetings are recorded, administrative professionals have a recording to rely on for clarity, which can be particularly useful if the voice transcription is needed.

A call recording is even more valuable if administrative professionals aren't available to attend a meeting. The meeting recording can be referenced to compile notes or minutes afterward, giving the business and its employees greater flexibility.

10. Official record-keeping

Sometimes there are legal reasons why organizations or agencies benefit from recording virtual meetings. For example, some government agencies are required to keep official records of all meetings for the public. Video conferencing software with built-in recording capabilities makes it easy to meet this requirement.

Whether you're closing a deal or negotiating financial agreements, having a recording of the meeting can benefit all parties involved. Transparency and a record of vital conversations can protect you from future disagreements.