The UK is currently on lockdown due to COVID-19, and this has completely transformed the world of work. Millions of people are now doing their jobs from home, so online meeting tools such as Zoom have become very popular; in fact, Zoom is currently the most downloaded free app on the app store!
So if you are currently working from home, it is likely you have already used Zoom for a few meetings. You may even be using Zoom multiple times a day to stay in touch with your co-workers – but do you know about all of the hidden features you can use to make your meetings more productive?
Here are five ways to make Zoom meetings more productive.
1. Add Professional Profile Pictures
Lots of people don’t upload a professional profile picture to Zoom as they mostly use the video chat feature, but if you are decide to do a voice call instead everyone else will see a plain coloured background. This can be pretty confusing if you are in a group call with multiple people, so we suggest telling employees to upload a professional, high quality picture of themselves to avoid any confusion.
2. Use The “Raise Hand” Tool
Zoom has a useful ‘raise hand’ button that makes it easier to manage remote employees. They can use the button to let the host know they have a question, or it can be used to conduct polls. This tends to be much easier than employees interrupting the host, as it means the meeting can still flow organically.
3. Consider Recording The Meeting
It is possible to record meetings in Zoom, which is very useful if you want to save key meetings for employees to view later. You can also use this feature to record tutorials and one-on-one lessons, which can really benefit your employees.
It is also very easy to record the meeting; you just need to click ⌘Cmd+Shift+R (PC: Alt+R) to begin recording, and then you can press ⌘Cmd+Shift+P (PC: Alt+P) to pause the recording.
4. Use The “Breakout Room” Feature
Zoom also has a ‘breakout room’ feature that allows the host to break people up into smaller groups for quick meetings. This is very useful if you have different people working on different projects, and after they have spoken for a few minutes you can give them a 60 second timeframe to end their chat and rejoin the main meeting.
5. Embrace The Mute Button
You may already know about the mute feature on Zoom, but if not it is definitely worth mentioning. This feature allows people to mute their own room, so there aren’t any distracting noises (such as the sound of a washing machine, or someone typing). So it is much easier for everyone to focus on the host and what they are saying!
6. Consider Using Annotations
Finally you can use the ‘annotate’ feature to annotate a chosen screen. This is great for collaborative, creative work, and it is easy to use; you just need to click the button on right-hand side of the ‘share screen’ control panel.
