The consequences of virtual meetings

The shock waves from the Covid pandemic have lessened. Nevertheless, working arrangements for many people have changed radically. Home offices or workstations have reduced the time spent in business premises to one day a week, or even less. Virtual meetings on Zoom or Teams offer benefits. They enable a saving in time and the cost of travel. They can be set up quickly and colleagues in various locations can be connected.

The consequences of virtual meetings are less obvious. Managers and leaders should be concerned about their potential harm. Casual conversations around the water cooler do not happen. Impromptu meetings around a desk are rare. Relationships are never going to blossom in this sterile atmosphere. Being virtual means being detached. Involvement and engagement are less tangible or visceral.

Business Meetings reinvented

The value of live events has increased dramatically. Meetings, presentations, product launches and team-building activities now have extra appeal. They literally bring people together in physical environments where real interaction generates emotional responses.

Hospitality events also make more impact because, for many people, meeting colleagues face to face has become a rarity!

The investment in business meetings is now being considered in a different context. The logistics of managing events is as important as ever, but the impact on those attending adds another dimension. Every event is an opportunity to inform, inspire, reward, and motivate the key people in the organisation.

Live business meetings can stimulate the senses, fire the imagination and provide comfort and reassurance in ways that an internet connection never will. 

The added value of live meetings

There is no doubt that virtual meetings are here to stay. We embrace them and we are helping client companies with their planning and management. However, there is no substitute for the “real life” experiences that live events deliver.

Live business meetings will always offer added value and if managed well they will also guarantee a positive return on investment. Memories of three-dimensional experiences live longer than a flat-screen moment. We all know and recognise the warmth of a handshake or a hug. Live meetings must be valued for their unique qualities, not dismissed as no longer relevant.