Virtual Etiquette for Virtual Events

You know how important etiquette is for business meetings, especially in an international environment where business etiquette varies from country to country. What is considered normal in one country, might be considered inadequate in another country.

Virtual etiquette is just as important as general business etiquette. Virtual etiquette means:

Dress appropriately – do not dress too casually, but also not too formal.
Background should be tidy – use a virtual background if your computer can properly render it (often virtual backgrounds do not work)
Limit interferences – avoid children or pets or communicate clearly that you need quite-time
Prepare – a lot of participants in virtual events do not prepare as well as they would for physical events.
Check your Equipment – check that the microphone and camera are working properly before the event.
Look at the camera and speak clearly – center your head in the camera with good padding on all sides.
Be on time – if you aren’t late for office meetings, you shouldn’t be late for virtual meetings either.
Stay engaged – body posture should be the same in both – the office meeting and the virtual meeting.
No food allowed – do you eat during an office meeting? Then why would you eat during a virtual meeting?

Increase your own and your colleagues’ effectiveness and efficiency, and create a more pleasant meeting experience by being a great example of Virtual Event Etiquette.