Let’s face it – the way we meet has changed dramatically.
Many of us have recently turned to virtual collaboration tools like Zoom, Google Hangouts, etc. so that, even though we cannot be together in the same space, we can still share ideas and stay productive. But these tools don’t have to be alternatives, they can be supplemental.
Online meetings are useful, productive, and make remote-collaboration possible, but fusing the benefits of the virtual with the physical will create an event that goes even further.
Enter hybrid meetings… This type of meeting combines the benefits of in-person and virtual interactions so that each event can reach its highest potential.
What is a hybrid meeting?
Hybrid meetings are meetings or events that feature at least one group of in-person/face-to-face attendees connecting virtually with other meeting attendees. While hybrid events have been around for a number of years, their importance will only grow during and following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hybrid Meetings combine the benefits of live and virtual interaction between presenters, in-person attendees, and virtual attendees.
Virtual and Hybrid Meetings – Why you need a separate approach
The key difference between hybrid meetings and virtual meetings is this fusion between the live event and the virtual event creates different types of attendees. Our environment greatly affects our ability to stay focused. During an in-person meeting, the environment is specifically designed to communicate the message of the meeting and to keep people interested. But if an attendee is virtual, there is no control over their environment, and they may lose focus.As Dr. John Medina, developmental molecular biologist at the University of Washington notes, “You’ve got seconds to grab someone’s attention and only 10 minutes to keep it. At 9 minutes and 59 seconds, you must do something to regain attention and restart the clock—something emotional and relevant.”These different attendee and meeting types require a custom solution and your overarching meeting goals will determine how the meeting will be designed.
Different Types of Hybrid Meetings and Events
Hybrid meetings can span multiple spectrums of the in-person and virtual meeting realm. We’ve seen hybrid meetings that span from a split between a face-to-face audience and a virtual audience to only having presenters at the live event to in-person pods/breakouts that communicate in a virtual environment to a fully live audience with a virtual presenter. An easy way to look at this is through practical examples:
Technology and Hybrid Meetings
One of the first questions we at Bucom always hear about hybrid meetings is what technology should we use?Our answer – don’t let technology define your meeting goals – define your goals first and we have the technology to support it. Whether it’s working within existing technology solutions within your organization or integrating a new option, if you define the type of hybrid meetings first, the technology will be there to support it. Don’t put the cart in front of the horse.
Benefits of Hybrid Meetings
Hybrid meetings should be an integral part of your risk management assessment for meetings following COVID-19.- They allow participants who are unable or unwilling to attend a live event to do so virtually.
- Multiple types of hybrid meetings present multiple options for the planning team, depending on your goals
- Removes traditional confines and allows for a collaborative environment
- Hybrid meetings are a cost-effective option featuring the benefits of both face-to-face and virtual meetings
By combining the benefits of a physical meeting with the benefits of a virtual meeting, you do not have to sacrifice powerful connections for greater outreach, you can have both.
