Researchers at Yale University recently measured brain activity during both virtual and in-person meetings. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the researchers found that virtual meetings resulted in substantially less activity in the areas of the brain associated with facial processing and social interactions.
Despite this recently published research, virtual meetings aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, as they do offer a host of benefits for business owners like you. Virtual meetings also often are a necessity, given that many teams are dispersed across geographic locations or may be fully remote.
In this blog, we take a deep dive into both online and in-person meetings, including their benefits and drawbacks. Read on to discover how and when in-person and online meetings should be implemented and what you stand to gain or lose with each type of meeting and its format.
Why Host Face-to-Face Meetings?
Picture this: you’re in your third, fourth, or even fifth hour of consecutive virtual meetings and fatigue is beginning to set in. You’ve become so Burnt Out from Zoom calls, Microsoft Teams meetings – you name it – that coffee won’t even do the trick anymore.
You begin to yearn for in-person meetings, where the last thing you had to worry about was the feedback of your microphone or your barking dogs in the background.
Despite the convenience and popularity of online meetings, it has become abundantly clear that there is still lots of value to be had from holding in-person meetings.
While some have found solace in meeting virtually, others have struggled without the benefits that in-person meetings with fully-serviced Meeting And Conference Rooms can reap.
Benefits of Face-To-Face Meetings:
Building Team Camaraderie
While much of our own personal work can be done solo, many companies thrive on the innovation that is generated through teamwork. While there are steps you can take to make your online meetings more engaging, it can be difficult to build camaraderie with online meetings.
From confusing ‘share screens’ taking the place of whiteboard sessions to new team members having to adapt without meeting their colleagues in person, it’s been demonstrated that the highest quality and most efficient team building occurs in person.
Fewer Distractions
Something that we can all relate to is the urge to check our phones, open a new tab and start web browsing, or turn on the television just to avoid a boring online meeting. Distractions abound during online meetings. When we meet online, children, pets, and spouses can distract us while we struggle to remain present and engaged during virtual meetings.
Clearer Communication
We all can attest to the fact that technology mysteriously refuses to work when we most need it to work. We’ve all been on virtual meetings in which a participant’s microphone offers so much feedback that it drowns out the rest of the audio or where four people attempt to speak at once causing a cacophony of confusion. In-person meetings allow for clear, concise communication between each-and-every participant.
Building Trust and More Meaningful Business Relationships
It’s a fact that our most meaningful personal relationships are built through interpersonal, in-person communication. The same holds true for trustworthy business relationships. It’s just not the same to hold one of your company’s most important business meetings virtually.
Better Participation
It’s also much easier to get away with non-participation during virtual meetings. With in-person meetings, there is more peer pressure to participate and engage with others. Participation is almost expected and those who choose not to stick out like a sore thumb.
Meeting Face-to-Face vs Online: What’s the Difference?
In-person meetings hold intrinsic value when it comes to building team chemistry, fostering total participation, and eliminating distractions. It’s worth remembering, however, that online meetings do provide their own set of benefits to businesses big and small.
The benefits of online meetings include the following:
- Large meetings can be easily held.
- Participants can join from anywhere across the country or world.
- When technology works well, platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams boast a whole host of features that improve meeting experience.
- The shift to virtual meetings has seen these same platforms continually push for new innovations in their software.
- Large conferences, seminars, or events can be held without having to pay for costly expenses such as travel, lodging, and catering.
Intrigued by the benefits offered by online meetings?
A hybrid approach to meeting could also be a possible solution for your team. With a hybrid approach, you can have access to in-person meeting space while still utilizing some of today’s most innovative remote work tools and support services. Carr Workplaces offers a variety of flexible, Virtual Office plans that support this hybrid approach.
Utilize the Workspace option in order to book 10, 20, or 40 hours per month in any meeting room at any Carr Workplaces nationwide location. Another option, the Virtual Office Complete plan, gives you access to on-demand meeting hours combined with a virtual business address to make for a prestigious remote work presence.
Where Can You Host Face-to-Face Meetings and Events?
Now that the pandemic has subsided and in-person meetings with coworkers and clients have resumed, there’s another important variable to consider: where can you book meeting space near you?
If you don’t have a private office space of your own, you can consider renting a meeting room near you in a Class A Office Building. Thinking of hosting an all-day Event? Consider booking luxury Event Space In NYC or another major market like Chicago.
Only need a small meeting room for a little while? Consider booking a meeting or conference room near you in any of these major US Markets:
- New York (including Central Park and Westchester)
- Washington DC
- Los Angeles
- San Francisco
- Boston
- Chicago
- Fort Lauderdale
- Orange County, California (Laguna Niguel)
- Northern Virginia (including Arlington, Alexandria, Reston, and Tysons)
- Maryland (including Bethesda and Friendship Heights)
- Indiana (Including Convergence, Electric Works, and Parkwood Crossing)
Event spaces at all Carr Workplaces coworking centers may be booked by the hour, day, or week for ultimate flexibility. Our high-end event space options include conference centers, auditoriums, patios, roof decks, and a variety of other types of venues.
Full-service catering and beverage service, A/V equipment rental, on-site presentation support, and video and web conferencing are available for event space bookings. When you book an event space, complimentary flip charts, markers, and snacks can be provided upon request as well.
Support from on-site team is also included with your event space booking to ensure your event is a success.
Key Takeaways on the Value of Face-to-Face Meetings
In summary, in-person meetings:
- Include fewer distractions when compared with virtual meetings.
- Facilitate clearer communication.
- Offer additional opportunities for team building and camaraderie.
- Encourage deeper participation and engagement.
- Build lasting personal and professional connections.
Learn more about how Carr Workplaces can accommodate your In-Person Meetings and online, virtual meetings.
