The past few years have greatly impacted the way we work and meet. Even though we can’t always be in the same space as our colleagues and clients, we’ve been able to find the technology to bring meetings and events online – and still be productive! What was once an alternative to being “in-person” has now become supplemental and far more prevalent in how work gets done.
Of course, both in-person meetings and online meetings each have their benefits but when the pros of both are brought together, you can create a meeting or event that pushes its potential.
What Is a Hybrid Meeting?
Typically, a hybrid meeting is a meeting or event that is hosted in a physical location where a subset of participants join from the audience and another part joins remotely. This connection is enabled by audio and video conferencing technology. A hybrid meeting blends both an in-person element as well as a virtual element, meaning the term ”hybrid” isn’t synonymous with a remote or virtual meeting. Imagine getting all the best features from both sides to bring together a supercharged meeting where information can be shared, and productivity is high. Plus, interactivity and participation skyrockets. This is where collaboration really takes off.
Benefits of a Hybrid Meeting
Whether as a result of following protocol in regards to COVID-19 or because your business knows this is the trend going forward, hybrid meetings help to manage risk and broaden how you’re able to connect participants. Furthermore, hybrid meetings generate personal connections that extend beyond physical confines, which is partly why they’re only gaining in popularity as they continue to shape the way we interact with one another.
8 Reasons Why Hybrid Meetings Are The Future
1. Hybrid meetings give participants the option to attend a live event virtually.
The option to attend virtually alleviates the stress of having to be there in person if they are unable or unwilling. Especially for C-level execs who typically need to be in two places at once or freelancers located in different parts of the world.
2. Choose the style of hybrid meeting that best suits how you’re managing and planning for your team to get you closer to your goals:
| Presenters/Hosts | Participants | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| In-person | In-Person and Virtual | Any talk show |
| In-person | Virtual Only | A roundtable with moderators. |
| Virtual | In-Person and Virtual | An influencer who cannot attend, but whose presence the meeting is built around. |
3. Adopting a style of hybrid meeting allows for a flexible container that’s unlike traditional styles of meetings. Especially when more people can be included, attendance is increased and collaboration is positively affected, which leads to higher engagement and less absenteeism.
4. Hybrid meetings are the significantly more cost-effective option when it comes to meetings. By incorporating both face-to-face and virtual meetings, you’re getting the best of both worlds and accommodating the needs of a higher number of participants.
5. When the “hub” of the meeting is in-person in one place, it becomes the space for innovation and collaboration to take place. A hybrid meeting brings in part of the workforce aspect back, enabling a physical anchor to make a remote connection.
6. Hybrid meetings help to fend off the fatigue we’ve gained from cutting out commuting, conference room meetings, conversations with colleagues in the lunchroom, face-to-face chats, and more.
7. Hybrid meetings help to lessen screen time by giving certain individuals the option to attend in-person or remote. Workers can balance “at home” life with “in-office” working.
8. Choosing the right tech enables workers to work at peak performance and optimize their time. Using a sophisticated browser-based, zero-set up video conferencing system accessible via laptop, desktop and mobile enables employees to work on the go or from wherever they are. Throw in the element of hybrid meetings, and you can host a meeting for absolutely anyone whether in person or on another continent!
With Callbridge, you can easily start to plan your own version of a hybrid meeting to suit your needs. Especially as hybrid meetings gain in popularity, web conferencing solutions are taking the needs and requirements of a blended meeting into consideration:
1. Dropdown to RSVP
Seamlessly integrate Callbridge into your Google Calendar to schedule hybrid meetings on the fly or for later. Notice how when you RSVP “Yes,” you can select to join a meeting room or join virtually. The option is yours!
2. Separate Location
Through Google Calendar, Callbridge gives you the option to select your virtual or physical location. Your location could be set to a specific city, while the URL could be for virtual, in-person, and hybrid meetings.
3. Stop Noise Feedback
Avoid two people starting a meeting in the boardroom with the sound on which causes that loud feedback no one wants to hear! Instead, select the Start button from your dashboard. On the dropdown menu, there’s the option to start a hybrid meeting and “Share screen” so it doesn’t share sound, or to start a meeting without sound.
When you combine the perks of an online meeting and elements of an in-person meeting, it quickly becomes obvious that the two modes of operation are a powerful way to communicate. There’s no need to have to give up on powerful connections for a larger outreach. You really truly can have both.
Let Callbridge’s state-of-the-art, easy-to-use, and fully integrated hybrid meeting technology move you in the direction of incorporating a hybrid meeting into your workflow. Allow for more participants, lower costs, and better collaboration to be your baseline. Enjoy features like screen sharing, multi-camera angles, file sharing, and more for hybrid meetings that get exceptional work done.
