Online Board Meetings Benefits
As a non-profit, you probably have a limited amount of board members. A lot of these slots are difficult to fill because of the time commitment needed for travel and attending meetings in person. Virtual board meetings reduce travel and the necessity to sync calendars, making them more accessible to busy board members and can increase the likelihood of participation.
Virtual meetings are also simpler to organize, and require easier to attend them. This could reduce the amount of work that has to be done in advance of each meeting, and the need to coordinate the space for meetings. This can reduce the workload of your board which can be beneficial for your organization and its bottom line.
Another important benefit of online board meetings is that they can help connect and engage board members. The right technology platform will facilitate this through tools such as video conferencing, chats and whiteboard collaboration, as well as presentations. These tools can be utilized in a similar way to a face-toface conference, but still respecting the rules of participation and meeting protocols.
Limiting the duration of meetings is a great strategy to keep attendees engaged. It is also beneficial to provide training to board members who aren’t tech-savvy, and to encourage use of different meeting tools. This includes polling questions, muting and using the virtual “raise your hand” option. Members can also type questions in the chatbox.