Establishing the etiquette at the start of meetings is at least as important for hybrid meetings as it is for online meetings , but perhaps more so . This is because of the strong tendency for interactions between physically present attendees to dominate the meeting , at the expense of equal opportunities for online attendees to contribute . The following is a simple , easy to remember approach to hybrid meeting etiquette , termed the ‘ 4AM code ’:
Working effectively together also includes holding debriefing meetings for public contributors after meetings . This is useful to recap on key points and decisions made and is a place for public contributors to voice any afterthoughts .
These can also be a place for further reflection and social support . For example , some public contributors may wish to check what other public contributors thought of the contributions they had made .
Debriefing meetings can also be an opportunity to check whether public contributors had the opportunity to contribute without , for example , technical problems . If public contributors did experience problems , it is important to determine whether these were one-off issues , whether they require meetings to be run differently in future or whether they might indicate that further support or training would be helpful .
Offering support and learning opportunities
It is easy to assume that public contributors will now be familiar with the sorts of online platforms used for hybrid meetings , but meeting organisers should nevertheless check that the public contributors who are able to attend do know how to use the technology . This is especially important when welcoming new contributors or when using different or new functionality of technology in meetings .
It is also important to recognise that being able to use the technology is not the only topic on which public contributors may value support and training opportunities .
They may find training helpful on a wide variety of Continuing Personal Development-type topics , such as how to contribute to meetings .
The ‘ 4AM code ’ for hybrid meeting etiquette
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Agree a way for attendees to show that they want to speak ( e . g ., by raising their hand )
Adopt an ‘ online first ’ approach , e . g ., invite online attendees to respond first
Allow people to finish what they are saying to avoid people talking over each other
� Avoid side conversations ( especially among physically present attendees ) �
Mute microphones when not speaking
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