What is hybrid meeting?
A hybrid meeting means that you meet with people in a meeting room, while participants can also dial in online. It is a format that combines online meetings and offline meetings. This way of meeting is growing rapidly, partly because of the hybrid working model used in many organizations. As a result, people work partly from home and partly in the office, which often means someone wants to dial in from home.
What is the difference between hybrid meetings and a regular video call?
Hybrid meetings are not the same as video calling. In a video call you are meeting exclusively with online participants, although sometimes two people in the office sit behind one screen so they can dial in together at the same time. You will soon notice that this is not ideal, especially when several people try to dial in through one laptop.
What do you need for a hybrid meeting?
To make a hybrid meeting successful, you need to set up a meeting room with a good microphone and camera, so that everyone in the room is clearly visible. It is also helpful to have a large screen so that the online participants are clearly visible too. It therefore requires a different setup than a normal video call, especially when there are many participants present. There are excellent videoconferencing systems from brands such as Logitech that are very suitable for hybrid meetings.
How do you organize a hybrid meeting?
You can easily organize a hybrid meeting yourself with online meeting software such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet or similar programs. Set up a clear structure and think about how you can keep your online audience involved in the meeting. Make sure there is enough variety and online interaction.
If you want to take the hybrid meeting to a higher level, Valo can help you set up a professional meeting. The meeting then becomes a real online TV broadcast with professional image and sound, and an interactive program. You can have videos played, run a voting round, have incoming questions managed by a moderator and let external speakers dial in. This is ideal if you want to hold a hybrid meeting for a large or important audience.
Why should you hold hybrid meetings? The 5 benefits of hybrid meetings:
1. Hybrid meetings offer more flexibility
With hybrid meetings you give people the opportunity to join at a time when they otherwise would not (be able to) be on site. That opens up more options in the schedule to plan a meeting. An important meeting or presentation can also be recorded so others can easily watch it back later. This can be useful, for example, during a digital knowledge-sharing session.
2. Hybrid meetings are more accessible
For meetings where many participants are invited, such as an online general members’ meeting, the big advantage is that your meeting becomes more accessible. People who would otherwise cancel because of travel time, distance or physical limitations can now still participate. Employees who cannot come to the office because they are ill, but are fit enough to sit behind a laptop, can also join.
3. Hybrid meetings are more efficient
Depending on the type of work, a hybrid meeting can also offer advantages because of the presentation possibilities. Participants can easily share a screen one after another, or look at someone else’s screen if something needs to be resolved.
In addition, hybrid meetings have a tighter structure so the meeting runs pleasantly and in an organized way for all participants. An agenda is often sent out in advance. As a result, hybrid meetings are often more efficient, and participants can enter the meeting well prepared.
4. Hybrid meetings are better for the environment
Mobility is one of the biggest sources of CO2 emissions. Because hybrid meetings make it possible to dial in from home, less CO2 is emitted. This is especially worthwhile for longer journeys or travel abroad. Organizations with offices in multiple countries can maintain closer cooperation through hybrid meetings, while having to travel far less than before.
5. Hybrid meetings save costs
Because meetings are more structured, you spend less time on inefficient discussions, which gives employees more time to focus on their work. Reduced travel also leads to significant savings: besides saving travel time during working hours, you also save on plane tickets, parking costs and other travel expenses, as well as spending on business lunches.
Engage your participants through a professional meeting
Do you want to organize a professional meeting for a large group of people, where the participants feel involved? Then choose a hybrid meeting, which increases attendance and boosts engagement. A hybrid meeting offers plenty of opportunities for interaction, and the chat function makes it easy for participants to ask questions. By recording the meeting, you will reach even more people after the meeting as well!
Valo can help you turn your hybrid meeting into an online TV broadcast that participants will not easily forget.
