Companies are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain a strong business culture in this day and age of remote and hybrid work environments, as well as to keep employees who are geographically scattered engaged in their job and aligned with the company’s shared values and goals. The use of virtual town hall meetings is an effective method for conveying information on outcomes, accomplishments, and adjustments, in addition to being an excellent method for giving employees the impression that they are all valuable contributors to a community. What exactly is a virtual town hall meeting.
You can use the traditional format of a virtual town hall meeting… or you can’t
The majority of online town hall meetings are organized in the same manner. The event is kicked off with a keynote address given by either the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or another member of higher management. After that, several managers will present the outcomes or initiatives of their respective departments after the keynote speaker has finished.
The timing as well as the frequency
While some businesses choose to have their town hall meetings every month, others schedule them to coincide with the presentation of their quarterly results. Some of their customers hold two to three impromptu online town hall meetings each year to communicate company-wide updates and other crucial information to their workforce.
In terms of scheduling, it appears that the majority of businesses choose to hold their town hall meetings around the end of the week (either on a Thursday or Friday afternoon), as this provides a more relaxing way to wind down the workweek. If, on the other hand, your town hall meeting will include action items that need to be carried out right away, you might choose to organize your town hall meeting for the very first day of the workweek.
Technology
You will need to invest in the necessary infrastructure if you want to get your organization started holding virtual town hall meetings for employees. Especially if you choose to hold a hybrid version of a town hall meeting, you may require video recording equipment (cameras, tripods, lighting, etc.), but this will depend on the format you choose. But all you need is a webcam and a video conferencing platform like Kaltura Town Halls, which can support the size of your event and comes with all of the bells and whistles you could require.
Prepare for your upcoming online town hall meeting
Determine the day and time of your event so that it is convenient for all of those who will be attending, taking into account the various time zones. If you are unable to do so, you must videotape the town hall meeting (which you probably should be doing in any case).
Talk with the CEO and the other high management about the purpose of the meeting. Will a new service or product be made available to customers soon? Will you be presenting the results for the quarter? Will you be keeping employees apprised of significant developments within the company?
You will be able to establish an agenda for the town hall meeting, an outline of the material, and bring your team together based on the responses to the questions, including IT, speakers and moderators, graphic designers, and so on.
Get the agenda for your meeting ready
Instruct your content developers, videographers, and designers to collaborate with the speakers to develop slide decks, videos, and an overall design concept for the event. Maintain an orderly and uncomplicated approach. Remember that the message you want to convey to your audience is the most vital thing, and take all necessary steps to ensure that they hear it.
Spread the word about your online community center
During the time that you are working on developing your content, you can start informing your employees about the event by sending them “Save the Date” calendar invitations and teaser emails. Don’t forget to discuss the objectives of the meeting as well as the agenda, which should include the themes, time, and lineup of speakers.
Get started on your digital town square
Experience the thrill of it all. But keep your mind clear. Carry out a dry run to test all of the components, including the speakers, connections, and equipment. Always make sure you have a backup and a plan B ready to go. Check to see that everyone is prepared. Take a few deep breaths. Get started with your online town hall. Best of luck!
Continue with your town hall meeting online
Continue to communicate with your target audience. Please provide a thank-you message and a summary of the meeting in the form of a follow-up email. Inform your audience about the location of the on-demand viewing option for the recording.
Conclusion
Utilize the feedback gathered after the event (this is an element that ideally should be built right into your virtual event platform). It is up to you to decide what questions to ask at the town hall meeting; however, you should be sure to let everyone know that after the meeting, they will be routed to an online survey.
