Despite the current epidemic, nonprofit boards must still meet regularly to make decisions. Virtual meetings are a simple solution that can boost the efficiency of board members and increases their involvement. These meetings online are not without challenges. Some board members may not be comfortable with modern technology, while others may not have the technical skills.
Virtual meetings can also result in a lack of motivation and concentration, particularly during long meetings. Participants may experience “zoom fatigue” or be easily distracted by other activities on their screens. It is essential to keep meetings short to avoid this. Make sure the agenda is clearly communicated and encourage attendees to speak up during the meeting. It is also helpful to use polls and questions to keep attention.
Another issue with virtual board meetings is the inability to see the body language of facial expressions or gestures. This could affect the level of engagement among board members as well as the effectiveness of the meeting. To prevent this from happening board members should be encouraged to watch videos during the meeting so they are able to discern non-verbal signals from their peers.
Other issues include the difficulties of recording and distribution of board meeting minutes. Recording the entire meeting is crucial for the event that a board member is not able to attend. This also allows for future boards to go over previous decisions and understand the reasoning of a particular decision. It is recommended to utilize a board management tool that offers a central archive of all meeting materials that is both historical and current.