Zoom has become one of the central communication methods while working from home. From meetings to time management, the app has features for it all.
While working from home, you may find yourself wanting to become more efficient in your digital meetings. Luckily, whether you have recently transitioned to remote work or have been at it for years, there are ways to boost your Zoom productivity.
Here are 12 of them:
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Host Meetings
One of the most common ways businesses is using Zoom is to host meetings. Through video chats or audio calls, Zoom lets you connect instantly with people in your company.
You can take this a step further and host meetings with members of your supply chain or business partners across the world. Making a fast connection has never been so efficient – using Zoom is the key to quick and inexpensive meetings.
Plan the Call
Before you dive into using Zoom for your text, audio, and video needs, you’ll first want to plan what you’ll discuss or how you’ll contribute. The average call lasts around 30 minutes to an hour but can go over when featuring critical topics.
Leave enough time for each issue you want to go over. Sufficient space at the end for feedback is crucial, too. With better call planning, you’ll achieve higher efficiency and work productively without wasting time.
Use It as a Public Forum
If you want to gather employees or co-workers in one spot to discuss general business topics, you can use Zoom as a public forum. Think of it as a town hall where members of the community give feedback. They voice concerns about what is and isn’t working.
The audio and video aspects of Zoom provide a better way to connect and address each concern. Taking steps toward a solution then becomes easier, too.
Send Out Polls
At the bottom of your Zoom call, you’ll see a helpful feature called Polling. This option lets you send a poll to the members of the call. It can include anything from employee feedback to new ideas for the company to votes for celebration catering. It’s an easy and productive way to consolidate information and take actionable steps forward.
Share Your Screen
Also at the bottom of your call screen, Zoom offers the option to share your screen with those you’re video chatting with. Screen sharing is a unique tool that lets you explain things visually. Whether you’re covering procedures for a new system or revealing company plans, screen sharing comes in handy.
Some people are visual learners, they absorb actions by viewing them. Screen sharing can reduce explanation time, offering an efficient way to communicate.
Use Annotate and Whiteboard
Two other useful features that Zoom offers are the annotation and whiteboard tools, both located at the bottom of the screen. Annotate lets you take notes on whatever you’re working on documents or plans.
The whiteboard option lets you provide a collaborative note-taking or drawing platform. Everyone on the call can contribute, it’s great for thinking of new ideas. The more hands-on deck, the more productive everyone can be.
Get Creative
One of the more fun sides of Zoom is its option to change your background when on a video call. Without needing a green screen, you can upload pictures of your choice as your virtual background.
There are plenty of professional-looking backgrounds designed just for Zoom calls, such as backgrounds that make it look like you’re in the woods, or even on the Death Star. This could help lead to better connections with your employees or co-workers.
You can choose something professional or something sillier – it’s up to you and the tone of the meeting. Backgrounds can be a fun way to involve people in the meeting and get a conversation going.
Use It for Time Management
Zoom calls provide a great way to get everyone on track. Time management is a pesky thing that always wants to slip out of control. However, with everyone present on a Zoom call, you can better focus on project management.
Allocate certain periods for finishing projects and figure out who will work on what. As an employee, you can focus on where you stand with your own work and improve from there.
Host Check-Ins
Sometimes you need to take a step back from work and focus on making connections. Friendships can increase productivity at work, so it’s important to build those relationships – even while working remotely.
Use Zoom to check in on your co-workers and host social hours, game nights, and engaging calls where you connect with your colleagues. Ask about their day or week – you never know what people will say.
Make the Content Engaging
One pro tip for remote work is that if it doesn’t need to be a meeting, use email instead. Time-consuming meetings can over occupy and slow down the workday. For example, a minor status update won’t necessarily require a video call.
Instead, use Zoom for meetings with engaging content. Make sure everyone who’s present needs to be there and make sure you use that time wisely. Involve everyone in the conversation to create a more productive meeting.
Use Breakout Rooms
If you have a large number of people in your Zoom call, sometimes it can be hard to work together efficiently. Luckily, the platform has a feature for that. The call host can initiate breakout rooms.
These rooms offer quick sessions where members of the main call can break into smaller groups to discuss information. The host can start and stop these rooms at any time.
This kind of organization lets employees build connections with each other while brainstorming efficiently. Then, the group can come back together and share ideas easily.
Plan for the Future
One engaging way to use Zoom is to discuss the company’s future. When creating business plans, it’s important to include everyone. That way, all staff members and employees have a say in where they think the company should go next.
With voices from every department, collaboration becomes key. New ideas emerge, creating a healthy environment for everyone. Planning for the future is a fun way to involve all members of the team.
Fostering Zoom Productivity
As you create a more productive Zoom environment, keep these tips in mind. You’ll notice that two recurring themes for productivity are collaboration and engagement. With these, Zoom becomes a platform where everyone can construct an ideal workplace.
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