Online board meetings can improve scheduling options, alleviating the time constraints caused by travel and cost restrictions from hotels and flights. They also help reduce groupthink and increase diversity between board members. The virtual world has its own challenges that can result in poor-quality meetings.

Switching from in-person meetings to virtual meetings requires a change in the ways boards communicate and operate. In order to facilitate communication during online meetings, many elements used in an in-person board meeting have to be recreated. This includes the physical boardbook, digital presentation, and sharing documents. It can be a challenge for board members to navigate technology. The use of a simple board software package helps streamline the process, however additional instruction on the tool may be needed to ensure board member success.

Another issue with conducting a board meeting online is keeping everyone engaged and productive during the session. Distractions from discussions can consume time and distract from the most important items on the agenda. Making an agenda with 20 percent fewer items and breaking up discussions into 15-minute increments can help in reducing this issue. In addition, providing an online discussion forum that is based on new topics could be beneficial.

Finally, it is important for remote participants to be able be able to see the faces of in-room attendees. This can be achieved by avoiding the use of backgrounds or moving the attendees away from light sources like windows which can glare onto the screen and obscure the image for other board members. Eliminating distractions like cell phones and https://travelboardroom.com/ other gadgets will assist participants in staying focused on the discussion.