Wayne Baker, Ph.D. has a great article on the Psychology Today site talking about 10 ways to improve your Virtual Meeting experience. Well worth the read. My favorites are below:
Belonging is a fundamental human need.
Guideline #1: Video On
Everyone should have video on. Without seeing one another, it’s almost impossible to create meaningful connections.
Guideline #2: Active Facilitation
Meetings—virtual or face-to-face—work better when someone takes the lead and facilitates the meeting.
Guideline #4: Gentle Mandatory Participation
The facilitator should guide the meeting in a way that ensures everyone participates.
Guideline #7: Learn Something New
Learning something new is a productive, positive experience. Learning together is a collective human moment.
Guideline #8: Enable Chat in Big Meetings
Every videoconferencing platform offers a chat option. This option is helpful in large virtual meetings, because it gives everyone a chance to chime in, make a comment, or ask a question.
Guideline #9: Team Practices
People feel better when you maintain routines and rituals. Consider your usual routines or rituals and think about how you can replicate them in a virtual environment.