10 Tips for Ensuring Effective, High-Quality Remote Meetings

May 18, 2023

The global pandemic has accelerated the trend of remote and hybrid working, allowing many people to work from home. As a result, remote meetings have quickly become part of our daily lives. And, if you are working in a multinational corporation, videoconferencing is now the default method of connecting with colleagues abroad.

Additionally, more and more people are choosing non-traditional careers and pursuing a digital nomad lifestyle. For them, remote meetings are an essential part of doing business.

While videoconferencing has become a normal part of everyday life, running an efficient online meeting is still not always easy. According to Statista, the following are some of the most common issues users cite, in relation to remote meetings:

Given all these challenges, it is crucial to ensure high-quality remote meetings. Below are 10 tips on how to take full advantage of time spent on a videoconference when using a laptop.

As with non-online meetings, the best remote ones require preparation. Aside from traditional prep like research and document collection, all good meetings have an agenda.

To ensure you do not waste time unnecessarily, make sure to draft a meeting schedule with topics to be discussed and share it with attendees beforehand. Then, follow up that effort by making sure that the conversation doesn’t stray too far away from the main subject. If unexpected discussions pop up, do your best to schedule follow-up calls — perhaps even 1-on-1 — rather than extending the current meeting time.

Online meetings should follow a similar dress code as offline ones. If casual attire is the dress code, follow that. If you’re attending a meeting you’d normally suit up for, make sure to at least wear a dress shirt or a blouse. If you’re unsure how to dress, a plain white collared shirt will work in any setting.

Showing up to a formal meeting underdressed is unprofessional — especially when you’re meeting clients. A remote meeting is no different.

Professional attire sets a formal, or semi-formal, tone, which may also help cut down on chit-chat and increase the efficiency of your meeting. However, if your counterparts prefer a more casual tone, feel free to act and dress accordingly.

Test your WiFi connection before beginning a videoconference. You can find out what your current connection speed is by checking one of the many free Internet speed check tools available online. See if the download and upload rates change if you move to another location. If so, consider attending the meeting from the location with the best signal.

If you have a designated working area, but the connection there isn't great, it may be time to invest in a new WiFi router or WiFi extender to make sure you get a good signal. Better yet, if it’s available, a wired connection is always the most reliable choice. For that, however, your laptop will need to have an Ethernet port. If it doesn’t, and you still wish to take advantage of the wired connection, you will need to purchase a dongle.

Audio quality is a vital aspect of any online meeting. If you prefer to attend meetings without plugging in your headset, speaker quality will be an important consideration. Many ASUS laptops come with Harman Kardon-certified speakers that deliver clear, well-balanced audio.

A built-in microphone is also something to pay attention to when not using a headset for online meetings. If possible, opt for a laptop with array microphones, such as the Zenbook 14X OLED. In addition, ASUS laptops come with AI noise cancellation. This software will filter out background sounds and help make sure colleagues and clients can hear you clearly.

Be sure to test your sound input quality. Also, double-check if the audio device selected in the videoconferencing app is the same as you intend to use. Most videoconferencing apps allow you to test your device’s sound before joining the meeting. This feature may be hidden under something like “device settings” or “audio options”.

To ensure the best viewing experience for your counterparts, take time to arrange proper lighting. It’s important to make sure your camera is NOT facing the light source. If you videoconference often, you may want to invest in dedicated lighting. Consider buying a lighting ring similar to what vloggers use and place it behind your computer's screen. Alternatively, a standard desk lamp should also provide adequate lighting. The light should be directed towards your face.

If possible, let natural light into the room ─ but don’t place your laptop with the camera lens facing the window.

Organizations vary in which videoconferencing apps or sites they use. If you’re using such software for the first time, you should run a brief test meeting before the real one. Do this well in advance of the actual meeting, so you can make sure your software is functioning correctly and is up to date. This will also give you time to familiarize yourself with the settings, button layouts, etc.

Human memory can fail, and minute-takers can miss crucial information. That is why it’s often necessary to record important meetings. Not only can you refresh your memory about the meeting contents later, but the people who couldn't attend can also stay in the loop.

Just make sure that you get everyone’s consent to record before clicking the red dot.

Sometimes you may have more than one person physically in the room with you. You will want to make certain everyone can see well so that they don’t miss anything and everyone stays on the same page at the end of the meeting. Many meeting rooms are equipped with projectors or digital signage devices. Take advantage of them if available.

If having a large external display is not an option, and your laptop has to suffice, you will want the people sitting next to you to see well too.

First, choose a laptop with a display that allows for wide viewing angles. OLED technology, such as the one we use in ASUS Lumina OLED displays, provides a much clearer image than traditional LCD from different points of view. Here is everything you need to know about OLED laptops.

There are steps you can take to improve your partners’ viewing experiences regardless of what laptop you have. First of all, keep your laptop screen clean here are some tips on how to do it. Then, increase the screen brightness as much as possible. Finally, to avoid reflections, make sure the screen isn’t facing a light source.

Let’s be realistic —listening and speaking are likely not all you’re doing during the meeting. You might be discussing a design and making changes as you go, taking meeting minutes, or catching up on some spreadsheet work while the meeting drags on.

If that’s the case, you will want to be able to multitask.

If possible, invest in an external monitor for your desk. Position it so that your colleagues won’t see you constantly looking sideways during the meeting. One solution is to place it above your laptop screen.

If you spend significant amounts of time working on the go, and can't have a desk with an external monitor, a good solution would be a portable monitor like ASUS ZenScreen.

You can also turn your mobile devices into external monitors, thanks to the GlideX app, available for ASUS laptops. This software can harness the power of wireless or wired connection to extend your viewing space onto smartphone or tablet screens.

You do not necessarily need to purchase any external device, however. A laptop made with multitaskers in mind could be the solution you’re searching for.

For example, the unique Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED offers two touch screens right out of the box. This is a perfect tool for those who need more viewing space in one package.

If you work at a desk with your laptop plugged in at all times, you can skip this tip.

For anyone working on the go, battery life is an important consideration. If your laptop has a robust battery life (preferably 8 or more hours on one charge), it should offer enough power to last through any meeting.

But if battery life is a concern, you may want to consider picking up a power bank such as ASUS ZenPower Pro.

As more and more companies adapt remote and hybrid working models, employees are enjoying more flexibility than ever. By following these tips, you can make sure that your meetings will go as well as they would in the office — or even better!

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