As the hybrid workplace continues to evolve, and video conferencing becomes even more standard practice for conducting company meetings, it’s worth considering whether the technology is actually working in everyone’s favor. A few statistics stand out. Weigh the good against the bad, and then determine the process that’s best for you!

Researching the Benefits of Video Conferencing

It’s generally accepted by social scientists that around 70 to 93 percent of all human communication is nonverbal. Understandably, the first key benefit of using video conferencing over the standard conference call is that we’re not just analyzing tone of voice, we’re truly getting a full picture, or “read” on the situation.

Being on video allows participants to view each other’s body language and gain a better understanding of what someone might be thinking or feeling during the meeting, whether they’re the one speaking or not. Having these points of references can help keep everyone more engaged and receptive to the different views and insights that are being discussed.

Not only that, companies that utilize video conferencing might be giving themselves a real leg up when compared to their competition and brand reputation. Around 51% of people believe that organizations that have embraced video calls are more creative, and also, more collaborative. Companies might even prove to be more likely to sign on new clients simply because they’re opting for video over plain audio calls. This can go a long way in attracting top talent, as well. Approximately 86% of companies are now conducting their interviews online.

Even the process of scheduling meetings becomes easier when organizations go with video conferencing vs in-person meetings. You don’t need to worry about planning for a commute because anyone can join from anywhere. This goes hand in hand with improving efficiency. You’re automatically saving both time and money by eliminating the cost of transportation. Those benefits alone make a great case for saying that video conferencing is a total win for anyone’s level of productivity.

Potential Setbacks with the Video Conference Setup

Despite the pros of video conferencing, like any meeting, there’s still the chance that the conversation will veer off track and ultimately end up wasting a good chunk of the day. In some ways, this might even be more common on video than with in-person meetings. Whether it’s chatting about the pet cat in the background, or just falling into the habit of talking about the weekend plans before signing off, it’s definitely a good idea for leaders to direct their video calls with clear agendas that keep conversations as productive as possible.

Despite these efforts though, you can’t exactly control what participants might be doing a video call. A whopping 92% of employees admit to multitasking during meetings. At any given time, you might have someone checking an email or doing some task entirely unrelated to your work and the group’s current conversations.

Then again, there’s also the argument that some meetings are unnecessary to begin with. Just because an organization chooses teleconferencing instead of meeting in-person or calling over the phone doesn’t mean that the meeting itself was more productive. It’s all too common to hear complaints about ineffective meetings, or meetings that “could have been an email.”

It’s always wise to think twice about whether to schedule a meeting. Organizing an agenda can help assess the situation right out of the gate. Once that’s cleared up, getting together for a video call might be the best next step!