The Virtual Boardroom. Adapting to Remote Meetings

Remote meetings, once a temporary workaround during global disruptions, have become a cornerstone of modern governance.  This change reflects the deep transformation in how boards operate, communicate, and make decisions. As organizations embrace virtual collaboration there are new expectations of board members, new challenges to overcome, and new best practices emerging. 

This article examines the changing expectations for board members, the challenges and risks of remote meetings, and some of the best practices for conducting remote meetings. 

Changing Expectations for Board Members

• Board members are expected to be proficient in various meeting platforms, board management software, and a whole host of digital tools. New technologies are constantly evolving and members must be able to adapt to and adopt these technologies. 
• With many members in different time zones, expectations on board members have shifted. Directors now face an expectation of increased availability, more flexibility in their schedules, and more frequent meetings.
• Understanding security protocols is a core fiduciary duty in the digital age. Members are responsible for ensuring that sensitive and confidential data are protected, even from their home offices.
• Board members also need to master the new digital etiquette. We’ll cover this in our section on best practices. 

Challenges and risks of remote meetings

The lost benefits of in-person meetings 

With remote meetings we lose many of the benefits of in-person informal interactions. These interactions foster a sense of community and trust. Remote work can lead to decreased morale and a feeling of isolation. The natural back-and-forth of in-person conversations is often lost in remote meetings and parallel conversations are impossible as the focus is always on the people on screen. We miss the non-verbal cues that are crucial for effective communication in person, this can lead to misunderstandings and a sense of disconnection among participants. Further, virtual meetings can exhaust the mind which becomes hyper-focused on searching for non-verbal cues it cannot find. Lastly, participants are more likely to get distracted in their home environments.  

Technical and logistical difficulties

A virtual meeting can be easily derailed by a variety of technical problems such as poor internet connections, low audio or video quality, or software incompatibility. These issues can cause frustration and delays. For global teams, coordinating meeting times can be a significant challenge. Participants may be required to join at inconvenient hours, leading to fatigue and reduced engagement.

Digital overload

• The constant need to switch between different video conferencing platforms, project management tools, and communication apps can be mentally taxing and lead to a state of "digital overload."
• The convenience of remote meetings can lead to an "always-on" culture, where work and personal time become blurred. This can result in burnout, stress, and an unhealthy work-life balance.
• The overuse of video conferencing platforms can lead to "Zoom fatigue" or "meeting fatigue," which can cause eye strain and contribute to burnout.
• The constant use of digital tools can lead to an overwhelming influx of messages; this can be distracting and stressful, and may even hinder productivity. Board portal software simplifies this by integrating various digital tools into a single platform. This allows directors to easily access meeting materials, conduct votes, and participate in discussions, thereby reducing friction and lowering the cognitive cost of switching between various applications.

Increased Security Threats:

Remote meetings can lead to an increased cybersecurity risk, as attendees are often accessing company networks from multiple, potentially unsecured, locations and personal devices. There are also privacy concerns around sensitive deliberations. Mandatory VPN use and multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all board materials are recommended. In certain instances there should be a policy to use secure, company-approved devices.

Hybrid Meeting Disparity: 

When some participants are meeting in-person and others are meeting virtually, those who are not in the boardroom can be at a disadvantage. They may struggle to hear the in-room conversation, see what's being written on a whiteboard, or feel fully included in the discussion. This can lead to a sense of being a "second-class citizen."

Best practices for remote meetings 

Preparation

• As with in-person meetings, a clear and well-structured agenda is crucial.
• The logistical challenges have changed. It is no longer about booking the boardroom and arranging the chairs. 
• There are difficult logistical challenges associated with scheduling meetings across different time zones. 
• Software and hardware need to be tested to ensure that there are no technical difficulties, and there should be redundancies in place if there are. 
• Members must be provided the relevant meeting links and passwords. 
• Board members who may have slow internet connections must be accounted for by providing a dial-in number in the meeting invitation or by minimizing the use of video. 

The Meeting Itself 

The person chairing the discussion will have to develop and deploy new facilitation skills. 

• Before the meeting starts, the chair should state the “rules of the road”, for example, 'We will use the 'raise hand' function for comments,' 'Please mute when not speaking,' and'This session will be recorded.’
• In a virtual environment it's easy for participants to get lost. The facilitator should be explicit about what everyone should be focusing on. 
• It might be helpful to designate a co-facilitator to keep track of raised hands, keep the meeting on track and on time, and ensure that questions and comments don’t get lost in the stream. This will allow the chair to remain fully engaged.  
• In longer meetings, schedule time for breaks to stretch and eat
• The use of interactive tools like live polls or whiteboards for brainstorming is recommended. 
• The chair must ensure, in the case of hybrid meetings, that members who are remote have as much input as those in person, and that a two-tier system does not develop. 

The New Digital Etiquette 

• Adhere to the same standard of professional dress you would for an in-person board meeting.
• Speak clearly and make use of pauses. Take account of potential delays in transmission. 
• Mute yourself when you are not speaking to prevent background noise from disrupting the meeting. One should mute by default and only unmute to speak. 
• Turn your camera on when possible. Seeing faces fosters connection and allows for more effective non-verbal communication. It also signals that you are present, focused, and not multitasking. 
• When you share your screen, close all unrelated applications and notifications. Prepare tabs or documents beforehand to minimize awkward searching.
• Use the "raise hand" function. It is the primary tool for maintaining order and ensuring everyone has a chance to contribute. The chair must diligently monitor and acknowledge “raised hands” to prevent people from talking over one another.
• While waiting for the meeting to start don't sit in silence. Use this time to talk around the virtual watercooler. This can help to ameliorate the losses of community, trust, and social capital which can result from remote work.  
• THOU SHALT NOT MULTITASK!.

Post-Meeting Follow-up 

Post-meeting follow-up remains critical. One of the the benefits of technology is that it allows board members to create a shared visible record of where things stand. 

It is important that the chair conducts regular evaluations of their meetings. They should survey the participants’ experiences with the technology and meeting effectiveness. As technology evolves, feedback is crucial to maintain continuous improvement. 

Conclusion

Remote and virtual meetings are not a trend but a permanent feature of the modern landscape. This presents long-term challenges to the creation of a cohesive culture and identity. Boards that master these new skills and protocols will be more resilient, agile, and effective.