Online Board Meetings Benefits
As a nonprofit you are likely to have a finite number of board member slots. A lot of these slots are difficult to fill because of the time commitment required for travelling and attending meetings in person. Virtual board meetings reduce travel as well as the need to sync calendars, which makes them more accessible to busy board members and helps increase the likelihood of taking part.
Virtual meetings are also simpler to organize, and require less work to attend them. This can cut down on the amount of work that has to be planned ahead of every meeting, as well as the necessity to coordinate the meeting space. This can ease the burden of your board which is beneficial to your company’s bottom line.
Another advantage of board meetings that are online is that they assist in connect and get board members involved. The right technology platform will facilitate this through tools such as video conferencing, chats, presentations, and whiteboard collaboration. These tools can be used to provide the same type of experience as meetings in person, while adhering to rules of participation and meeting etiquette.
Limiting the duration of meetings is a great strategy to keep the attendees interested. It is also beneficial to provide training to board members who are less tech-savvy, and to encourage use of various meeting tools. This includes polling questions, muting, the virtual “raise hand” option, and allowing members to write questions in the chat box.