The Benefits and Challenges of Virtual Board Meetings
Virtual board meetings are a quick and efficient method to discuss important issues facing your nonprofit organization. They eliminate the hassle of cancellations, traffic and travel delays and allow you to schedule meetings for the convenience of your board members without disrupting their work. They also allow you to retain and attract talent regardless of their geographical location and expand your options for recruitment.
There are still challenges with virtual board meetings despite their benefits. The first challenge is to keep your attendees entertained. It can be difficult to keep attendees focused without the camaraderie that comes with a physical gathering. To overcome this, you should use an agenda that is clear in its structure to ensure that everyone is on the same page, and set a time limit for discussion.
It’s essential to ensure that everyone can be heard during your meeting, even if not one of them speak up. Request that they muffle their microphones if they’re not speaking, and then unmute it when they are ready to speak. Use a video conferencing tool that automatically records the audio and video so that your team members who aren’t tech-savvy can participate.
Additionally, it’s essential to have a board management software package that has secure document storage that allows for the sharing, archiving, and annotation of documents prior to the meeting as well as during the meeting. This will allow your board to share and review important materials like governing documents, financial statements and other vital information. It will then be simple to make precise and thorough minutes of the meeting.