Common Virtual Meeting challenges
Video communication is gradually becoming one of the requirements of working in different jobs. The popularity of virtual meetings in the workplace is getting a raise, yet the challenges of using video conferencing remain. Interestingly, one of the reasons for many of these problems is the ease of using video conferencing. Read the rest of the article to learn about common virtual meeting challenges and some of their solutions.
Lack of sufficient skills
Although the new generation is well skilled in working with technologies, the machinery progress is so rapid, and its variety of applications are so vast that it is difficult to catch-up with. After all, many people who now have to face virtual meetings’ challenges are the previous generation, the ones that not only there was no internet in their childhood, but you hardly could find a phone in their houses.
Knowing these conditions will help you to understand the challenge of lacking enough video conferencing skills.
People may experience some challenges in connecting to a virtual meeting or using this software’s features well. Actions such as turning the webcam on or off, muting the microphone, sharing the screen, providing documents, and using them are some of the steps that, although not very difficult, require a skill.
Employees may be reluctant to use virtual meetings because they feeling embarrassed. They may also attend the panels but do not get the necessary benefit due to lack of sufficient skills and cause the meeting to be disrupted.
Solution:
Training before holding virtual sessions is the best way to solve this challenge. If the software you are using is not professional and customized, try to choose a more simplistic application which is easy to work with.
Ask an IT staff member to teach employees how to work with video conference software in one or two sessions. It is better to divide the employees into two categories. The first group is those who are relatively skilled, and the second one who need more training. In this way, the first group will not get tired, and the second group will not get embarrassed.
Before the final session, hold several meetings to exercise and ask people to use all the software features.
Virtual Meeting Challenge: screen sharing
You’ve probably encountered low-quality shared screens before. The person who shares the screen explains an important topic while your screen is frozen or the images are displayed in choppy, with low-resolution. This challenge reduces the quality of virtual meetings and wastes people’s time and money.
Solution:
Check your internet. If necessary, change your Wi-Fi network to cellular and ask the other party to do the same. If the meetings are held in the company, try to increase your bandwidth and use high-speed internet.
Disclosure of sensitive information
When you share your screen, your mobile or laptop wallpaper, apps, and other information inside, is displayed to others. It’s just like showing your phone or device to several people at once. This is unpleasant for most of us. In addition, pop-up notifications include private and personal messages, are among other virtual meeting challenges.
Solution:
Do not Share your Screen! Haha! I’m kidding! Let’s review the real solutions together.
Turn off your notifications and delete inappropriate items from your phone before sharing your screen.
Some video conferencing software helps you to share only one specific tab with others. Although this feature helps, you will still have trouble if you need to show a few tabs.
At SOJECT, we produce personalized software for our customers. By producing proprietary software, we can solve this problem and provide yourself with the ability to display only what you want.
Audio and video related difficulties
Frequent disconnection and interruptions, a choppy low-quality video that keeps freezing up, system delay, echoing audio, and even a low volume are part of virtual meeting challenges
We do not have your voice!
Your video quality is poor!
The audio is choppy!
The above expressions are a repetitive and frequently used part of almost any visual meeting. The more people attending, the more likely you are to hear these expressions. Depending on the number of participants, there is a possibility of audio and video disorders.
Solution:
If the participants are outside your company, the truth is you can not do much about them except to advise them to change their Internet provider and their conversation environment.
But there is something you can do about your company. So pull up your socks and get ready to start:
Check your company’s Internet for bandwidth and speed. See who uses the Internet and for what purposes. Upgrade your workplace bandwidth and internet speed if necessary.
And one more important action! Ask the IT department to provide more bandwidth to virtual meetings through Quality of Service (QOs). With this approach, nothing will disrupt your session, even if many people use the office Internet simultaneously.
Learn more: IT Outsourcing Advantages and Disadvantages
‘I don’t want to share my video’ syndrome!
Many people do not have enough confidence to appear in front of the camera. They are worried about their appearance. Consequently, during video conferencing meetings, they do not have enough concentration to participate in discussions and be efficient. This can lead to a decline in the productivity of these sessions.
Solution:
I can not suggest a specific solution. Getting help from a psychologist may be helpful.
Another common cause of this syndrome is that people want to do other things simultaneously along with the meeting.
Although it is common and acceptable for people with multiple tasks to do short, temporary jobs during a meeting, it may give the other party the feeling that he/ she is not fully aware of the meeting. As a result, it may be considered rude behavior. So if you decide to attend meetings under these conditions, you should be fully involved. If you can not, it is better to put aside other tasks.
Lack of sufficient participation and trust
When we do not see or feel a person, it is difficult to communicate. One of the challenges of virtual sessions is the lack of face-to-face communication benefits. In face-to-face meetings, employees get to know each other more closely, trust each other, make friends, and cooperate. However, in virtual meetings, such a process does not take place or is very slow. This challenge is exacerbated when many employees attend meetings only via audio – not video. Do you really expect your employees to establish a friendship and cooperation with a few voices?!
Solution:
Try to hold face-to-face meetings from time to time and ask all employees to attend these meetings. You can take advantage of opportunities such as the company’s anniversary celebration. A dinner or supper party may also be appropriate.
Another relative solution is to ask people to participate in meeting through their webcams. However, this solution is not always useful and feasible.
Security issues
One of the video conferencing challenges is security. When meetings are in person, your voice does not leave the meeting room, nor do your sensitive documents. But as meetings become virtual, the audio, videos, and papers may be misused if you do not comply with security issues. That’s why sensitive responsibilities like security jobs and the military use highly secure and dedicated video conferencing software. The more sensitive your business is, the more critical security issues become.
Solution:
Use security software for your conversations. Applications that offer services for a fee are usually more secure than free ones. We strongly recommend that you do not sacrifice the security of your meetings for money. However, if you have to use free software, do good research and choose the relatively secure one.
Make sure that you always contact through the latest version of the software. Providers always resolve bugs and holes that make it easier for hackers to infiltrate the app in recently released versions.
To avoid the hassle of updating video conferencing software on many office computers and personal devices of your employees, try to use web-based software. These video conferencing apps do not download and install, as their latest version is always available to people through the browser. Web-based conferencing applications also solve many of the compatibility issues of the devices.
However, the best choice is to establish dedicated video calling software. Software companies can design and produce custom virtual meeting software for every business by investigating their particular needs.
We at SOJECT can help you find your true needs and design the video conferencing software you require. Security issues are one of our priorities.
SOJECT resolves the challenges of your virtual meetings
One of the best and most suitable ways to permanently solve many virtual meeting challenges is to use personalized video conferencing systems. This is the only way to get the right support for potential bugs. Our team will always be ready to answer your software problems.
With our virtual meeting software, you experience security and hold meetings in a friendly atmosphere, according to your business’s needs.
We specialize in consulting, design, implementation, and maintenance of video conferencing servers.
Leave the work to a professional.Contact SOJECT!
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