You can increase the effectiveness of your remote meetings with these six strategies.

According to a Strome College of Business study, more than 92% of remote workers experience “Zoom Fatigue,” which does not bode well for overall team productivity.

There are a few reasons that online meetings are not as effective as in-person meetings: there’s less real-time feedback; many online meeting attendees do not use sound or video; and multitasking takes over.

With workforces spread out more than ever and no real “rules” for online meeting engagement, business leaders and managers could benefit from a primer on how to effectively run successful virtual meetings that optimize participation and engage attendees.

“With workforces spread out more than ever and no real “rules” for online meeting #engagement, business leaders could benefit from a primer on how to effectively run successful virtual meetings that optimize participation and engage attendees. #ZoomTips ”

1. Set specific meeting goals. Identify the goals of the meeting and work backwards. With the end in mind, leaders can determine what steps are necessary to accomplish those goals while simultaneously uncovering and communicating the motivation for them. For example, a leader who expresses their “why this is important to me and why it should be important to you” reveals an underlying motivation. A team that understands the goals can then collaborate to meet them.

Once your meeting goals are identified, the next step is to create an agenda and stick to it. According to Toasty, “Not only does an agenda define meeting goals, but it also gives participants an understanding of what to expect and what is expected of them.” An agenda distributed to attendees in advance of the meeting also helps them prepare for it.

“Set specific meeting goals. Identify the goals of the meeting and work backwards. With the end in mind, leaders can determine what steps are necessary to accomplish those goals. #leadershipadvice #remoteworktips”

2. Focus on effectiveness over efficiency. Rather than attempting to fit four hours’ worth of information into a one-hour meeting, focus instead on refining high priority information into concise and succinct messaging. Streamlined statements will keep your team more engaged for the duration of your meeting. Breakout rooms for smaller discussions can generate interaction for diving deeper into relevant topics.An example of effectiveness over efficiency is interweaving audience prompts at different points in the meeting and posing a question to the group to gather their perspective. While this takes time away from content delivery/efficiency, it creates a deeper level of engagement, which translates to higher levels of effectiveness.

“Focus on effectiveness over efficiency. Rather than attempting to fit four hours’ worth of information into a one-hour meeting, focus instead on refining high priority information into concise and succinct messaging. #leadershipadvice”

3. Know communication is key. Another critical component of leadership success in virtual meetings: communication. Start with a check-in prompt to which each member of the team can respond. For example, “One thing I need to put down for a while to focus is…” or “Right now, I need to focus on…” Participating in these check-ins can help foster human connection within a virtual setting. Nonverbal communication is also critical.

“Know #communication is key. Another critical component of #leadership success in virtual meetings: communication. Start with a check-in prompt to which each member of the team can respond. ”

According to the University of Texas Permian Basin, body language researcher Albert Mehrabian said that 55 percent of our communication is non-verbal. Acknowledging the speaker by looking at them, nodding or smiling is beneficial during virtual meetings, as this non-verbal communication demonstrates to the speaker that you find value in what they’re saying. Meetingsnet says that this body language also lets the speaker know “that you’re listening and engaged. Tilting your head as you do so will also affirm your interest, as this gesture is a universal way to ‘lend your ear.’”

4. Acknowledge variety is the secret spice. To break up the potential monotony of a discussion, add an interactive component every five to eight minutes. That may include reactions, chat-out, breakout rooms, or group and individual exercises. These small breaks in the meeting allow for collaboration among attendees, thereby increasing engagement and interpersonal connection.

“Acknowledge variety is the secret spice. To break up the potential monotony of a discussion, add an interactive component every five to eight minutes. That may include reactions, chat-out, breakout rooms, or group and individual exercises. #WFHadvice ”

Breakout rooms enable smaller groups to collaborate with each other, thereby allowing for deeper and broader conversations. Virtual meeting polls are a great tool to engage a remote team; they’re quick, easy and a simple way to generate feedback. Other ideas include introducing a pet, playing a few rounds of trivia and even discussing the latest episode of a popular television show.

5. Know inclusivity is critical. Being inclusive when running a virtual meeting means taking each attendee’s schedules and situation into consideration. For example, if there’s a working parent on your team whose children are home from school, be sure that the meeting aligns with their parental responsibilities. Is there a team member out on bereavement? Don’t schedule the meeting. Be sure that all team members have an opportunity to contribute, regardless of their role.

“Know #inclusivity is critical. Being inclusive when running a virtual meeting means taking each attendee’s schedules and situation into consideration. #leadership”

The NeuroLeadership Institute suggests that leaders should, “plan on hearing from everyone, not just the most outspoken… As the meeting leader, lower your status a bit to encourage more participation. Ask questions more than you give instructions. Provide choices to give a sense of autonomy. Give your opinion after others have shared theirs.” One effective technique is the “Turn and Learn,” which works especially well during a Zoom or Teams meeting. A leader can ask a question and instruct the attendees to type their responses in chat and share once the leader says "Go!" At this time, a "chat waterfall" of ideas, thoughts and concepts is generated. This strategy mitigates the halo effect, a cognitive bias that makes it more likely that the group will go along with the opinion of someone more experienced, senior or vocal.

6. Be mindful of technological considerations. To ensure that everyone on the team has access to the meeting, be sure to run it on a platform that is accessible, like Google Meet or Zoom. Note, however, that without the proper setup, there are some common pitfalls to utilizing technology for a virtual meeting. For online meeting attendees who do not utilize sound or video, body language cannot be read, resulting in a lack of potential feedback and ultimately minimizing the opportunity for nonverbal communication. Therefore, it’s important as a leader to turn your video on during virtual meetings; you’ll want your team to feel like you’re “there” with them. Harvard Business Review reports that “video makes people feel more engaged because it allows team members to see each other’s emotions and reactions, which immediately humanizes the room.”

“Be mindful of technological considerations. To ensure that everyone on the team has access to the meeting, be sure to run it on a platform that is accessible, like Google Meet or @Zoom. #leadershipadvice #inclusivity”

Also be sure that your lighting is appropriate. Do not sit with a bright light behind you; this makes it difficult for people to see your face. A window or desk lamp behind your camera will enable visibility. Take a look at this example from Georgetown University to see why lighting is important.

Are you in a room without a strong internet connection? Move to a place with a stronger or use an ethernet cable or WiFi booster. Despite being in a home office (or a bedroom), consider the background seen by your colleagues during virtual meetings. Don’t want them to see your dresser top? Don’t meet from your bedroom. Are you okay with your team seeing your ample plant collection in the background? If there’s good lighting, that’s a great space from which to run a meeting.

Now that you have some tips to make leading virtual meetings more effectively, tailor them to what you know works for you and your team.

Janine Davis and Erik Kellener are executive coaches at Evolution, a coaching, culture and leadership development firm.