The year 2020 changed quite literally everything, for everyone. One of the biggest changes the world was faced with was dealing with social distancing guidelines in the workplace. How did we, as a country, solve this problem? By moving everything online! Finding a way for people to meet online was quite possibly the best thing that came out of 2020. Not only were children still able to attend school, but adults were able to keep their jobs through the Covid-19 pandemic. Even though most everyone has had some experience with virtual meetings, how did that idea begin? Today we will be looking through the history of virtual meetings and where they could be heading in the future.
Past
Obviously, virtual meetings are a more recent thing, but that does not mean that people didn’t meet virtually before the internet came along. Before the internet, people could have group meetings through party lines. Neighbors always knew what was going on in the area, just by listening in on phone calls! The etiquette was to hang up if the line was already engaged, just like an extension in a home, but one could plan a time with neighbors to discuss something (and of course there are always those who have fewer qualms about etiquette!) Telephones used to be the most common and efficient way for people to get in touch with each other.
As phone technology grew, it became possible to have a three-way call on a telephone. One just dialed, and connected to the first person, then pressed another button to dial and connect with another. Limited participants, but an office game changer! People used to joke that the Jetson’s video phone couldn’t be far behind. Little did they know!
Today, if someone needs an answer quickly, they just send an email or schedule an online meeting. In some ways, we think the personal connection in meetings has become less apparent. Before it only took a click of a button to reach someone, people had to make plans to communicate, and their meetings were intentional. If there is anything that this pandemic has shown us, it’s that those intentional moments need to be cherished.
Present
As most people are familiar, Zoom is the new normal. Because we can’t see each other in person, we have to make do with virtual meetings. For some people, this transition has been very hard. The sudden stop in our busy lives has left most people with time to do some self-exploration. Despite the dramatic change, this time of being stuck at home has brought a lot of families closer together. This change has brought those in the business world closer together as well. Just because people were not able to meet in person didn’t mean that work projects and deadlines suddenly vanished. Important presentations, quotas, and overbearing bosses were still something that people had to deal with.
In this time of everything being held virtually, being tech-savvy is more important than ever. Bigger Brains has a wide selection of courses that cover topics from how to lead an engaging zoom meeting, to creating appealing PowerPoint presentations. These courses can help even experienced presenters refresh their knowledge on these topics.
Future
The future of business is still somewhat of a mystery as the world figures out how to deal with the pandemic. One thing we know for certain, however, is that virtual meetings are here to stay. As many companies have discovered, working from home can increase employee morale and lower company costs. This means virtual meetings will become a regular habit in the post-Covid-19 world. Additionally, when life finds a “new normal,” presentations and meetings will be something that companies assume people know how to do. With this in mind, it is important to take advantage of this time at home to learn or refresh your skills in these topics.
Overall, this past year was a whirlwind of emotions, mandates, priorities, and problems. Through these hard times, people were taught to appreciate life in a new way, and realize that every moment counts. With Bigger Brains on your side, you can be prepared to adapt to any new challenge the world may throw at you.
