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Tag: virtual meeting

  • A Complete Overview of the GitLab Remote Meeting

    What are remote meetings ? Also known as virtual meetings, remote meetings happen when a group of people, who are dispersed across different locations, use video and audio facilities to connect online. Remote meetings are extensively used by organisations who hire hybrid teams.

    Benefits of Remote Meetings
    What is GitLab?
    GitLab Remote Meetings Policies
    Guidelines for Effective and Responsible Communication
    GitLab’s Remote Manifesto – The Working Style
    Key Practices During Internal or External Meetings

    Global Self Hosting Provider

    Benefits of Remote Meetings

    The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of remote meetings as in-person meetings became restricted.  This was specifically true with multinational corporations with a global presence.  The shift to remote meetings was quick and absolute.  It became necessary to define ways that would maintain the purpose of remote meetings and design creative ways to bring the team together. Some key benefits of remote meetings are –

    Recorded meetings

    With time-zone differences, it may not be possible for everyone to join.  In such a scenario recorded meetings allow team members to catch up on what transpired adding context to the notes taken at the meetings.

    Optimal Use of Time

    Virtual meetings with a set agenda are focused and to the point.  They are time-bound, agenda bound and aim at a results-driven approach.

    Outlining all the advantages while, at the same time, building a process that is an excellent case study for making remote meetings extremely effective is GitLab’s Remote Meetings process.

    What is GitLab?

    GitLab is a DevOps software package that combines the ability to develop, secure and operate the software on a single application.  Ukrainian developer Dimitry Zaporozhets and Dutch developer Sytse Sijbrandij created this open-source software.  GitLab Inc. was founded around this pre-existing GitLab software project by these developers in 2014 as a limited liability corporation. In 2018, GitLab Inc. was considered the first partly Ukrainian unicorn to be valued at more than USD 1 billion.

    GitLab Annual Revenue from 2020 to 2022

    As the largest all-remote company in the world, GitLab has approximately 30 million registered users with one million being active licensed users.  Since its inception, GitLab has been centred around remote work.

    GitLab is a free platform that offers a range of paid services. The company adopted a policy not to accept new customers unless it’s legally required. Additionally, they even prohibited political conversations in the workplace.

    GitLab Remote Meetings

    As an all-remote company with employees scattered in 65 regions across the globe, GitLab is an example of how to practice clear communication to stay connected and work efficiently. Working towards this agenda, GitLab has built a framework of policies and guidelines which help maintain the sanctity of a remote meeting.

    GitLab Policies

    • Anti-harassment policies
    • Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
    • GitLab’s Whistle-blower Policy
    • Confidentiality Policy
    • Social Media Policy

    These policies are enforceable and are also within the purview of the law of the land in which the company operates.  Any deviation or deliberate action against what these policies specify is punishable by law and GitLab adheres to these policies firmly.

    Guidelines for Effective and Responsible Communication

    As a company that functions in the virtual space, GitLab’s guidelines are process-driven, practical to implement, encouraging and inclusive.  These guidelines work across borders and are applicable in every region their staff operates.

    • Follow Company Values
    • Assume Positive intent and begin with a position of grace
    • Be kind to colleagues and refrain from sending negative messages
    • Express thoughts responsibly and inclusively
    • If one says it, he or she owns it
    • Be a role model of specified company values
    • Give and receive feedback regularly
    • Asynchronous 1:1 communication is necessary to clear misunderstandings and a zoom call is effective for this
    • It is important to adhere to GitLab policies
    • Avoid discussing things that are not under the direct influence
    • Every team member in the meeting is a moderator
    • Avoid topics of a sensitive nature involving politics, religion, etc.

    How to Adjust in Remote Working? Challenges of managing a remote team
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    StartupTalkyAvantika Bhardwaj

    GitLab’s Remote Manifesto – The Working Style

    The culture and working style of GitLab is a poster child of modern-day professionalism. Globalisation has given businesses access to talent across the world and technological advances have eased the working culture that is no longer boundary-limited or time-bound.

    • Hiring and Working all over the world. No central hiring
    • Flexible working hours
    • Writing and recording knowledge
    • Written processes
    • Sharing of information
    • The results of work – over the hours put in
    • Formal communication channels

    Key Practices During Meetings – Internal or External

    Effective, efficient and focused meetings are a result of a team that is well-organised, clear on expectations, results-driven and solutions-focused.  GitLab’s best practices during meetings are a shining example of remote meetings.

    • Keep the video on during the entire meeting.  This is a way to communicate undivided attention and it promotes comfort between both parties
    • Have a list of clear agendas to be discussed during the meeting.  This agenda must be shared via email before the meeting so everyone is aware of it.
    • Follow the 70/30 Rule.  Allow the other attendees to speak 70% of the time by asking open-ended questions.  This ensures equal participation for all
    • Taking Notes is a valuable skill as it helps retain and recall important information
    • Adapt to Audience Tone to make the discussion accurate and efficient
    • Open documents for editing by the team
    • Record all meetings.  This way if someone is unable to attend, they have access to all discussions

    Conclusion

    It is true that what an in-person meeting or a personal touch can accomplish, goes far beyond the studied brilliance of remote meetings. However, the world is becoming smaller with technology. The Metaverse is a near-future reality. How companies will evolve to utilize this technology remains to be seen. In the meantime, GitLab’s success at conducting remote meetings is worth a study and, if possible, put into practice wherever applicable.

    FAQ

    What are some advantages of remote meetings?

    The following are the advantages of remote meetings

    • Everyone Can Be Involved
    • Less Expensive
    • Shorter Sessions
    • More Frequent Meetings
    • The Chance to Record Meetings
    • Minimal Scheduling Needs
    • Better for Health

    How do I know if my virtual meeting was effective?

    You can ask for feedback in your meeting follow-up email. You can also take steps to make your meeting as effective as possible in the planning process.

    Are there ways to improve remote employee engagement in my virtual meeting?

    You can improve employee engagement by using icebreaker questions, sharing meeting itineraries and objectives, and carefully moderating your meeting to make sure everyone participates.

    What is the purpose of a virtual meeting?

    The purpose of a virtual meeting is to discuss important issues, achieve critical goals, or build and maintain healthy office relationships.

  • 7 Strategies for Running More Constructive Board Meetings

    Business investors and productive people sit on different boards, so going to executive board meetings is important for their day by day life. For founders, their organization’s board is regularly the main board they have ever been engaged with. This makes it a fertile region for errors and false impressions.

    Overseeing communications with financial investors is a pivotal task for a startup CEO, and executive board meetings give a standard rhythm to this. Time and again they are dealt with like some other meeting- a long update event or a commitment that everybody around the table needs to endure.

    Nonetheless, if managed accurately, viable board meetings can increase the value of the organization. Board meetings are a decent chance to make arrangements, examine vital themes, help steer the organization the correct way, and guarantee everybody is in total agreement.

    Below mentioned are some of the best steps entrepreneurs can practice running effective board meetings:

    1. Keep a Clear Objective in Mind Before the Meeting
    2. Try Creating Space for Communication
    3. Utilize Your Time for Solving Main Issues First
    4. Be an Efficient Leader for All
    5. Make Unanimous Decisions
    6. Discuss the Fund Raising Events for the Future
    7. Make Follow Up Reports for All to Ensure Consistency

    1. Keep a Clear Objective in Mind Before the Meeting

    Send a point by point plan and the full board deck a few days before the meeting for keeping the main objective clear. This gives everybody a plentiful opportunity to audit the deck and the financials and come ready with significant inquiries, and furthermore keeps the meeting from transforming into an update meeting.

    Board meets accomplish better work when each member has had the opportunity to contemplate each issue. And, in case, they don’t do their work even when you explain them, possibly these individuals shouldn’t grab a chair at your board meeting.

    There are numerous approaches to make board meetings less boring, including: “Incorporate understandable materials, information, and updates in a bundle and distribute it to your board members four days before. Advise them to come prepared and set up the location and audio during online meetings”

    2. Try Creating Space for Communication

    Toward the start of the meeting, it’s a smart thought to introduce all individuals if you have another expansion to the group or to the board. Along with that, circumvent the table to once again introduce everybody and ensure all individuals know about each other.

    Besides, commit some time to have some casual discussions with your colleagues and check in with how everybody is getting along. This will fabricate compatibility among the directors and permit you to function admirably together to reach significant decisions.

    3. Utilize Your Time for Solving Main Issues First

    Utilize your time as wisely as possible by picking a couple of basic issues and going directly forthright. Don’t bite off more than you could chew. Choose only one or two issue’s at a time and focus on resolving them from the roots.

    It is suggested that you prepare to stun the world with these profound jumps: “For instance, you may discuss how to structure the most ideal arrangement with a given accomplice. You tell everybody in the room that this is the test and that you need their opinion. This way you could encourage a good conversation for beneficial results of the startup.

    4. Be an Efficient Leader for All

    As CEO, it’s reasonable to be scared by your Board of Directors — after all, they are industry leaders — and they additionally can fire you. Moderate the discussion so that it is useful. Try not to fear calling them out if what they’re saying is off-subject or driving the discussion of the course.  

    In this way, you will find that all the members and workers are significantly more lined up with the organization’s main goal and you can hope to get important feedback and help from the board to push your organization ahead.

    Keep a check on your ego “You can either make it clear to people around you why you’re at the table, which includes a fairly unattractive need to wear your accreditations on your sleeve, or you hang tight for the moment and offer your remarks and prove your value.”

    5. Make Unanimous Decisions

    The reason the top managerial staff doesn’t settle on choices alone is that unanimous choices are substantially more powerful. Hence, you truly need to support the full interest of every person at the meeting. Different points of view will be advantageous to recognize openings for upgrades, objective setting, planning and executing plans for progress.

    6. Discuss the Fund Raising Events for the Future

    Founders should make a point to consistently talk about business objectives to guarantee they arrive at their next round of financing. Since the business landscape or advanced economy or the opposition ventured up, financial investors may rethink their assumptions to further fund the organization.

    7. Make Follow Up Reports for All to Ensure Consistency

    Make the board work for you. During the meeting, you can appoint undertakings for board members (presentations you need, assistance with enlisting, market contemplates, and so on).

    After the meeting, you must follow up with an email to all the members of the board that determines the undertakings they were allocated during the meeting. This will help guarantee they do their part.

    With that, ensure you send regular updates to the board so that members are informed regularly. This guarantees that the upcoming board meeting turns out to be more productive.

    How to Host Your First Successful Virtual Event
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    Conclusion

    Many of us don’t have formal preparing techniques in meeting management abilities, yet anybody can figure out how to do it well – regardless of whether your group is in the workplace, completely virtual, or crossover.

    A constructive board meeting brings an insightfully chosen gathering of individuals together for a particular reason, gives a forum to open conversation, and conveys a tangible outcome: a decision, an arrangement, a list of good thoughts to undertake, a common perspective of the work ahead.

    As a result, the outcome is then imparted to others whose work might be influenced. And, startup meetings can become effective by following these 9 steps mentioned above.

    FAQs

    How do you make a board meeting more efficient?

    Be an efficient leader, Introduce new members to the board, Send the agenda in advance, and follow up with the board members after the meeting.

    How do I prepare for my first board meeting?

    Be confident, Make an agenda, Know more about the people attending the meeting, Practice with a mock meeting.

  • Will Virtual Hiring be the New Normal? The future of Virtual Hiring

    You name it and the technology is already working on it. Due to the current scenario, working from home has become a necessity. The offices are adapting and even the production workflows have been restructured to embrace workplace flexibility. But for many businesses, one element of operations is still waiting to be updated that is Virtual Hiring.

    Amidst the pandemic, many human resource departments were forced to slow or freeze typical talent acquisition strategies, since traditional methods require personal interviews or skills-testing on internally secured devices or intranets. The addition of new interns, turnover replacements, employees, and temporary substitutes all halted, unable to implement a safe and viable virtual screening process, proving that there’s a lot of work to even attempt to match the pre-hiring procedure of employee experience with day-to-day operations.

    The Future of Virtual Hiring/On-boarding

    It is very important to note that, like any change in the technology, one cannot make changes just for the sake of it or focusing on just to be the part of the mob, but it has to be done with the clear intention of improving the performance of the business, cutting back on resources, and improving its efficiency.

    How To Tackle Virtual Team Management Challenges
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    Candidates Need to Experience the Culture of the Organization

    Candidates crave for more than a job, they want a cheerful experience in the workplace that provides a sense of purpose and pride.

    Culture is considered to be so meaningful that 33% of candidates claim that they’d even work for lesser salary to work for a company that aligns with their ideals. The challenge for recruiters is to communicate a clear and accurate sense of the culture to outsiders, simply by telling them about it doesn’t help.

    Provide job opportunities or open houses so people get a feel for what it’s like to work there. Almost two-thirds of job seekers said they were more likely to apply for a role with a company if they had the opportunity to attend a social event to connect with potential candidates and learn about the organization.

    Remote Jobs added
    Remote Jobs added

    Demonstrate the culture in the marketplace, such as by sponsoring events or performing community services that showcase the respective company values. Show people what your company values and demonstrate that you’re actively committed to them.

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    Virtual/Telephonic Interviews

    Due of the efficiency and ability to reach a large number of applicants in a short time frame, the clients typically use on-demand virtual interviews as first-round or pre-screening interviews, then schedule live virtual interviews for only the top candidates.

    One-way video interviews are a fantastic way to get to know a candidate. But VR takes the next step forward by letting recruiters enjoy some of the key benefits of interviews, and also go beyond some of the time restrictions and other limitations. Interviews on Video calls allow recruiters to get a feel of a candidate’s personality fit. However, pre-recorded videos can make people feel self-conscious; they may not work as good predictors of on-the-job success. VR empowers recruiters to meet a candidate personally and still see them in action as a potential new employee.

    Candidate’s Virtual Screening

    Many companies conducted employment assessments onsite or offered job shadowing opportunities as part of their hiring and onboarding process. Now with the restrictions on in-person contact, virtual talent prediction, and “onboarding tools” are vital. With the prevalence of on-line applications and ATS platforms, applicants frequently comment about feeling isolated or being stuck in a long, never-ending loop. That shouldn’t be the impression on them. Complexity and disengagement create high dropout rates.

    The “virtual hiring” and “onboarding tools” immerse candidates in an engaging test-drive where they handle similar challenges actual employees experience on the job every day. This pre-experience creates realistic expectations and builds greater comfort and confidence for new employees.

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    Screening the Candidate’s Social Media Accounts

    Recruiters need to understand as much about a candidate as possible, so checking out their social media accounts is something they’re increasingly interested in. But most candidates said they’re reluctant to simply hand over their social media data to potential employers that is unless the conditions are right.

    81% of candidates say they’d be willing to share their social media data with a potential employer if the right privacy measures were in place. Half of the job seekers said they’d be willing to share their social media data with a potential employer if it helped them determine a better job and organizational fit. Among knowledge workers and senior leaders, that number jumps to 62%. They also said they’d be more open to it if they know what recruiters will look at ahead of time and how that data will be used.

    78% said they expect the recruiting process to be clear on how personal data is used. So, consider explicitly stating in the job application that you’d like to access candidates’ social media accounts. An explanation is necessary, how you plan to use it and how it will be protected. Making them believe how sharing their details can benefit them.

    77% of candidates said they wouldn’t apply for a job if they felt their privacy wasn’t protected.

    Providing A Great Candidate Experience

    Organizations must wow the candidates to get them to sign in. Virtual reality recruitment is a new tool in the tech world that can make a company stand out from the crowd. According to research, nearly 60% of candidates have had a poor candidate experience during their job search, 72% of those candidates share their negative impression online or with others. Online video interviewing has been proven to have a positive impact on a candidate’s experience with the company There are a number of methods to impress the candidates.

    • Companies can use VR to show off the workplace environment and culture.
    • Give the candidates an insight into the role.
    • VR to understand candidates decision making and their thinking process.

    The Bottom Line

    Finding workaholics for your team is a constant challenge. And it’s not getting easier any time soon, given the tight labour market, shifting employee expectations, and a shortage of people with in-demand skills. Recruiters must do more than make the right hire, this time only by hiring virtually and establishing the trust between one another.

    FAQs

    What is the future of hiring or recruiting?

    The future of hiring/recruiting will always be human but will be increasingly augmented by tools and technology that will benefit recruiters and job seekers alike.

    Is working from home a good idea?

    Working from home is not always better or worse for an employee’s health than traditional virtual office arrangements. It will be most beneficial when employees make wise decisions about their time, and employers provide support in the form of technology, ergonomic equipment, and managers trained to supervise remote workers.

    Will Virtual Hiring be the New Normal?

    Remote meetings, digital recruitment, and virtual collaboration are the ways to get through these distressing days. Undoubtedly, new-age virtual hiring is playing an integral role in minimizing business disruption and making people dynamically adapt to changing needs.

  • How to Host Your First Successful Virtual Event

    Virtual events were still a thing in 1993 when the world’s first Livestream bought us the footage of a coffee maker in the mid drip. It gained millions of views from all around the world. Coming back to 2020 due to the pandemic where every office and auditoriums are shut down across the world including India, people have no choice but to shift to virtual events.

    Technology has upgraded the ways to connect online and now there are Virtual Event Platforms available that can help you Host an Virtual Event. From virtual tours of the Museum to Live Q n A with Astronauts. Even some of the largest conferences have shifted partially or completely digital. Moving events online can reduce the costs and carbon footprints, and makes attendance accessible to the wider audience in the comfort of their home.

    Are you ready to Host a Virtual Event with the help of Virtual Event Platform?

    Whether this is your First Virtual Event or You are looking to improve your Events, this is your All-access plan.

    What is a Virtual Event?

    Virtual events are an organized meet up that takes place online rather than being in a physical location. Virtual events can range from small meetings to large scale conferences or events.

    What is a Virtual Event Platform?

    Virtual event platforms are the online platforms that can help you host an virtual event seamlessly and successfully. They are Virtual event management software that helps you host online conferences, online trade shows events and online meeting successfully.

    How To Host A Successful Virtual Event? (5 Easy Steps)

    All the events have their own challenges. Here’s how to avoid obstructions during your virtual event

    1. Prepare a game plan

    Whether the event is huge or small, every event requires a strategy to successfully host the event.‌‌Before hosting the event make sure you have answers to these questions.

    • What kind of experience do you hope to deliver?
    • Will the event be live, on-demand, or both?
    • Where do you want the content to be viewed?
    • Will access be gated or free?
    • Which is the best time to host the event?
    • Will you require an event registration?
    • How and on which social media platforms you are planning to promote the event?
    • Are you planning to work with a promoter or other partner?
    • Will people still have access to the event once it’s over?
    • What Key Performance Indicator(KPIs) and data do you plan to track?

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    2. Choose the right time for hosting the Event

    Picking the right time and date is important so that it is suitable for all the attendees to attend the event. Before sending out the dates do a little research. make sure there are no events on the same date or any holidays that would interfere with the attendees.

    If your planning for a global event, take time zones into consideration. Pick a time that is suitable for all the attendees and if not possible make sure the event is accessible to those who couldn’t make it. With the help of social media, you can ask your attendees to pick a time that is suitable for them.

    Virtual event management
     Promote your event through Social Media 

    3. Promote the event On social media platforms

    What is the whole point of the event when there are no attendees to attend the event, so promoting an event is important and Social media is your best bet for promoting the event.

    Start promoting your event 2 or 3 days prior to day of the event, Share the details on Email and on social media.

    Take advantage of tools available on social media such as Use Instagram stories to create an event countdown or Create a Facebook event with all necessary details of the event. Create an Event Hashtag#, To promote the event and drive more people to the event.

    Checkout our Complete guide on Facebook Marketing Strategy.

    Virtual Event
    How do you Drive Registration to Virtual Event

    4.  Be Prepared for technical difficulties

    Before the Event make sure you

    • Test your internet connection.
    • Prepare backups of Presentation files, In case the File gets corrupted.
    • Run a Rehearsal check to identify all the problems.
    • Make sure all the attendees are tech-savvy.

    5. Make it Comprehensive And Accessible

    Make sure you use large fonts and clear language including presentations. Provide captions for the presentation. The event should be easily accessible to attendees.

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    Virtual Event Platforms in India ‌‌

    1. Cisco Webex

    Cisco Webex is a platform which provides enterprise solution for video conferencing, online meetings, screen share, and webinars. Webex has three types of plans for the users Agile user, Power user and modern workspace.

    Virtual Event Platform
    Cisco Webex Plans and Pricing

    2. Hubilo

    Hubilo is top ranked virtual event platform which can be used to host virtual events in India. The pricing of hubilo depends on your Events.

    Virtual Event Management
    Hubilo Pricing and Plans

    3. Zoom

    Zoom provides video calling solution to the users for free up to 40 min. Zoom is a great solution for hosting web conferencing, webinars and video conferencing.

    Virtual event platforms
    Zoom Pricing and plans

    The World is shifting to virtual events and many companies are adding virtual events as a key digital strategy .Hosting a virtual event may sound a tough job but if you have right knowledge and the technology required you can host any event successfully.