COLLABORATION
UCC Etiquette Online meetings can be fraught with difficulties. Once we have a good connection, and our microphones and cameras are switched on, how we manage ourselves and get the most out of our meetings is up in the air. UC Advanced rounds up a few of the collaboration tools video conferencing suppliers have provided to address these issues, that help turn good meetings into great meetings.
Who said that? One of the obstacles remote workers contend with when dialling in to hybrid meetings is identifying who the speaker is. This can be a frustrating issue in larger meetings when there are many in-person participants. This lack of clarity can result in miscommunication as remote workers might miss critical points or fail to contribute effectively. Furthermore, it can foster feelings of isolation as virtual workers may feel disconnected, hindering their ability to engage fully with the team.
Automatic Speaker Tracking Automatic speaker tracking works
updating for the best viewing experience. The active speaker’s video is rendered at a higher resolution for better clarity. Video conferencing platforms such as Zoom and Webex have also developed features that help online participants better identify who is speaking in a meeting, improving connections. Zoom Smart Name Tags This feature works by highlighting attendees’ names against the physical person. Like speaker tracking, name tags help virtual contributors recognise who is in the meeting and who is speaking, making it easier to tell who to address and who to follow up with.
by using specialist camera systems that can detect when a participant speaks and automatically switches the camera’s view to centre on them, ensuring that their image is prominently displayed on the screens of all participants. Automatic speaker tracking allows remote attendees to maintain eye contact and focus on the active speaker, enabling better communication within the virtual environment. Microsoft Teams is tackling this issue using AI, the tool can assess which is the best camera in the room to view a person, whether that be through a laptop or front-of-room camera, constantly
That’s Me in the Corner In hybrid meetings, a key issue is ensuring that all participants are heard. This is particularly true for remote participants who may struggle to contribute effectively. Proximity bias, defined as the tendency to favour in-person participants over remote ones, can exacerbate this issue, leading to remote workers feeling sidelined or undervalued. This can hinder open dialogue, stifle diverse perspectives and ultimately impact team cohesion and decision-making. As remote participants compete for attention, they may hesitate to speak up, resulting in missed opportunities for valuable contributions and insights that could benefit the entire team.
Web Chat functionalities Web Chat functionalities enable participants to submit questions and comments in real-time, allowing for simultaneous engagement without interrupting the flow of conversation. Furthermore, the presence of call moderators can help facilitate discussions, guiding the conversation to ensure that both in-person
and remote participants are given equal airtime.
Hand-raising features Hand-raising features allow remote attendees to signal their desire to speak, providing a structured way to manage contributions and ensure that everyone has an opportunity to share their thoughts.
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