Poorly run meetings are torturous for everyone involved — not to mention a drain on company resources. Whether online or in person, meetings can easily go off the rails and frustrate managers and their employees.

More often than not, such meeting mayhem stems from a failure to observe proper meeting etiquette. When meeting hosts or participants aren’t on the same page about the protocol for things like dress code or the appropriate time for questions, these gatherings can quickly become counterproductive. 

To make your meetings and conference calls as effective as possible, your team must be aligned on expectations. Below, we’ll cover some of the most important rules for meeting manners and etiquette, whether you’re running virtual, in-person, or hybrid meetings.

1. Come Prepared

When it comes to meeting rules of conduct, nothing is more important than preparation. Whether you’re leading the meeting or simply participating, coming prepared is a sign of respect and engagement. Review any required materials in advance, write up notes about any projects you’re working on, and be sure you know what you’ll be covering.

This, of course, implies an important rule of preparation for anyone leading a meeting: Always send participants an agenda and any relevant materials in advance!

2. Check Your Settings in Advance

Virtual business meetings dominate the landscape in a post-COVID world — accounting for 77% of all meetings as of 2022. That’s still true even as work has veered away from fully virtual toward in-person or hybrid settings. And while more workers are comfortable with video conferencing technology, there’s still no shortage of microphone mishaps, video fumbles, and general “facepalm” moments on virtual calls.

To avoid such embarrassing moments, follow this important rule of virtual meeting etiquette: Start up your video software a few minutes before the meeting to check your settings and make sure everything is working correctly. Set your background, test your microphone and video, and correct any issues so you’re able to actively participate when the meeting starts.

3. Follow Dress Code

Every workplace has a dress code for meetings — even if it’s an unspoken one. Underdressing communicates that you don’t take your participation seriously, while overdressing may give the impression that you’re trying a little too hard. Whether you’re meeting online or in person, you should aim to fit into your company’s meeting culture.

4. Be Punctual

No one likes that perpetually late co-worker. Popping in a few minutes behind for every meeting shows that you don’t value your teammates’  time as much as your own. They may joke about it or brush it off outwardly, but they’re most likely seething under the surface — especially if you’re the one in charge.

A good rule of thumb? Show up or sign in early enough to have your notes out and be ready to begin right at the scheduled start time.

5. Use Technology to Help Everyone Tune In

Technology can be a huge help for modern meetings, especially when it comes to supporting everyone’s efforts to follow virtual or hybrid meeting etiquette. Note taking is a significant distraction for many participants, and today’s AI-powered technology is perfect for removing this disruption.

With tools like Rev’s Notetaker, part of our newly released VoiceHub, you can record and accurately transcribe the entire meeting so everyone can review important moments later. Instead of furiously scribbling to keep up with the details, participants can focus on listening and contributing to the meeting. Just be sure you follow any relevant state laws about recording meetings and phone calls.

6. Don’t Get Right to Business 

These days, we’ve all been a part of virtual meetings with people we’ve never met in person. And yep, it’s awkward. 

If you’re the host, follow this simple bit of conference room etiquette to help alleviate these uncomfortable moments for everyone involved: Don’t dive straight into work matters. Start some light conversation and encourage people to share about life as they would in person. Helping the team develop relationships will create a positive work environment and foster better collaboration — no matter how much physical distance separates them.

7. Listen Actively

Everyone has a lot on their mind during a work meeting. That big project you want to get to. Who’s picking up the kids that afternoon. What the cat is watching out the window. Let your mind wander a little, and it will soon get lost in the woods.

Instead, focus your energy on actively listening to the presentation or conversation in front of you. Ask questions and follow up on important points, keeping your mind fixed in the moment. This is especially important if you’re the one running the meeting, as it’s far too easy to ignore what a team member says while thinking about the next big point you want to make.

8. Stay on Topic

It’s no secret the workers feel crunched for time and stressed trying to manage everything on their plates. Specifically, according to Microsoft, 68% of employees feel short on uninterrupted time to get focused work done.

Long, meandering meetings just add fury to the frustration. Make the most of the time you have scheduled by sticking to the agenda. If other important topics come up, note them for follow-up at another time.

9. Make Eye Contact

This tidbit of meeting etiquette transcends time and technology, yet it’s profoundly simple: Look people in the eye when speaking or listening. It’s a basic sign of attention and helps you better read all the unspoken aspects of a speaker or those listening to you — and it’s a critical life skill.

This is important even for virtual meetings, where many participants get fixated on their own face on the screen rather than looking at everyone else. In fact, when you’re talking, try not to look at the screen at all, but right at the camera. Consider turning off your self-view if it’s too distracting.

10. Consider Your Nonverbal Communication

Since, ideally, everyone should be making eye contact and paying attention, that raises another important point: Think about what your body language or other nonverbal habits are telling others. 

Constantly checking your phone, looking away from the screen, or fidgeting with your pen all show your co-workers that you have somewhere better to be. In contrast, sitting upright, nodding in affirmation, showing enthusiasm with your facial expressions, and keeping your hands and legs still are all small ways to show you’re engaged and actively participating.

11. Mute Your Mic When Listening

As far as virtual meeting etiquette goes, this one is a no-brainer. We’ve all endured the distraction of a noisy background conversation or a barking dog that drowns out the person speaking. Unless you’re speaking, keep your mic turned off!

12. Be Respectful

A lot of these meeting rules for participants could be summed up in this last one. Preparation, listening, nonverbal communication — all are signs of respect. But showing concern for your co-workers goes beyond these small things to how you communicate in the meeting.

Are you constantly shooting down ideas? Do you cut others off before they’ve been able to share their thoughts? Do you downplay concerns that team members raise? If so, try changing your approach to be more patient, affirming, and open toward diverse viewpoints.

Why Is Meeting Etiquette Important?

In simple terms, meeting etiquette is an agreed-upon set of expectations for participants. It provides everyone with guidelines and parameters for how to conduct themselves during meetings. Having a shared understanding of the rules for conducting a meeting helps the team use its time more efficiently, making meetings more productive and less exasperating for everyone involved.

Etiquette for Managers vs. Team Members

It’s worth noting that meeting rules aren’t the same for all participants. Although much of what we’ve mentioned applies to everyone, managers and team members often have their own specific best practices for ensuring an effective meeting. 

In general, team members must focus on preparing well, showing up on time, and respectfully participating when during the meeting. Managers, meanwhile, must go above and beyond, preparing to facilitate an effective conversation and leading by example.

For instance, let’s say you’re a manager preparing to lead a meeting on Microsoft Teams. Your job includes all of the following:

• Ensuring all team members have access to the meeting.
• Sending an agenda in advance so everyone can come prepared.
• Signing in early to ensure you’re there when others log in.
• Transcribing the meeting with Teams or a third-party service like Rev.
• Following up after the meeting with any relevant points or next actions.

Remove Meeting Distractions With Rev’s New VoiceHub

Meetings are a simple fact of work. That doesn’t mean they have to be a frustrating one. And, while there’s no substitute for good planning and a shared commitment to workplace etiquette, today’s technology can help you streamline collaboration and make your meeting times more productive.

With VoiceHub, Rev’s new centralized productivity platform, you get a live, AI-powered notetaker to transcribe your meetings so you can stay focused on communicating with your team and getting work done. VoiceHub seamlessly integrates with Google, Zoom, Teams, and more.

See it in action before your next meeting. Check out key features like Notetaker and book a demo today.