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Despite the current pandemic the nonprofit boards have to meet regularly and make decisions. Virtual meetings are a convenient solution that can increase the productivity and participation of board members. The online meetings aren’t without obstacles. Some board members may not be comfortable with the latest technology while others might not have technological expertise.

Virtual meetings can also lead to a lack of motivation and focus, particularly in lengthy meetings. Attendees experience “zoom fatigue” and are easily distracted by other things on their screens. To prevent this, it’s important to keep the meeting short. It is important to ensure that the agenda is clearly communicated, and encourage participants to speak up throughout the meeting. It is also beneficial to use polls and questions to keep people engaged.

The inability to observe body language or facial expressions is a further issue with virtual board meetings. This could affect the level of engagement among board members as well as the effectiveness of the meeting. To prevent this from happening board members should be encouraged to use video during meetings in order to ensure that they accurately read the non-verbal cues of their colleagues.

Other issues include the difficulties of recording and disseminating board meeting minutes. Recording the entire meeting is vital for the event that a board member is in a position to miss. This will also allow future boards to review prior decisions and comprehend the reasoning of a particular decision. The best way to avoid these issues is to utilize a board management tool that provides a centralized archive of all meeting materials, both current and historical.