Virtual Meetings // 7 Ways to Ace This In A Coworking Space

Virtual Meetings // 7 Ways to Ace This In A Coworking Space

In the recent past, Hybrid Workplace has gained momentum with more organizations adopting the model for their teams.

This means more virtual meetings for team members so as to touch base and be on the same page. While this is mostly the case now more organizations are also shifting to coworking spaces to allow them the flexibility of working with their hybrid teams,

Coworking spaces are designed as offices for everyone from the lone freelancer to the 30-person start-up, but that does sometimes mean that things can get hectic and even louder than you may have anticipated. So what is there to do?

Below, we’re sharing some of the top tips that you should keep in mind as you delve back into the office space and run virtual meetings with your colleagues.

Book a meeting room

Of course, this is the most ideal point to start with. Most coworking spaces like Nairobi Garage have meeting room booking systems that allow you to book meetings that offer flexibility on an hourly basis.

Nairobi Garage offers some of the city’s most flexible, modern, and comfortable meeting rooms and boardrooms that can host a minimum of 4 to a maximum of 30 pax. Fully serviced and bookable on-demand, by the hour.

We also have a number of Virtual conferencing rooms ideal for virtual meetings all day. Our dedicated video conferencing rooms are bookable for small teams, with big screens and all the tech.

Make an inquiry about the private offices

Most coworking spaces have adopted a mix of traditional office spaces as well as the coworking aspect. Most of the spaces today have the private office option outside of the open floor plan.

For most coworking spaces you can either lease the private offices directly or claim on a first-come, first-serve basis. Be sure to make note of these offices during your preliminary tour of the coworking space, and ask the sales manager or, community manager about the private office rules.

If you’re looking more toward leasing a single private office, that could drive up your monthly office budget by quite a bit. Based on global estimates, you could be looking at a range of $1,400 to $2,100 per month but the good news is… the benefits are immense. 

This option would allow you to set up your space in a way that singularly works for you, Spaces like Nairobi Garage, have also introduced the Flexi Private Offices that allow you to pre-book a private office just when you and your team need it and it is ideal for your Hybrid Team, You can read more about this option here

The private office spaces are quite ideal as no one really regulates how you use the space and hence a great option for your team meetings.

Test out the space in advance of your meeting

Much like ensuring that you’re able to take your meeting in a quiet space, you also want to make sure other aspects of the space will support your meeting needs especially while holding a virtual meeting. Here are some additional items to consider:

• Is the lighting conducive to looking presentable on camera?
• Is there an echo in the room?
• Does the space have a meeting room booking system that allows you to make your booking earlier?
• Can you hear other employees in the nearby office or lounge spaces from the space?
• Is the Wi-Fi working adequately in this location?
• Is there a time limit on using this space?
• Are the lights on an automatic timer/could they switch off during your meeting?

Communicate with other Coworkers

There are many coworking spaces that offer a membership where you can share an office with other employees. 

These may not necessarily be employees within your same field, and they may even have different work schedules than you do — but it’s a good option to keep in mind, especially if you want to have dedicated desk space.

Also Read: Coworking in Nairobi // 6 Cool Places to Consider

If you do have a meeting while working alongside other people, be open and communicative. Make sure you’re not bothering their work as much as they aren’t bothering yours, especially if you’re planning for a large team meeting that might be more disruptive than normal. 

Additionally, if you think you’re going to be in distracting meetings throughout the day or in elongated meetings that could interfere with the other employees’ schedules, move around and find other areas to work in. This could be those first-come, first-serve rooms, or even an outdoor space if there’s adequate Wi-Fi and limited excess noise.

Find a quiet space

Yes, this seems pretty straightforward, but it’s imperative to keep this item in mind from the jump. Even before you e-sign your contract with a coworking space, you want to ensure that there are some quiet spaces or else you may be in more trouble than you anticipated.

In most spaces the quiet spaces are marked, however, in some spaces, there are rooms dedicated as quiet spaces.

According to cloud communication advisors, GetVOIP’s Video Conferencing Statistics from 2020, companies ranging from B2B and B2C to higher education and hospitals have all adapted to video conferencing options since the start of the pandemic. 

By their estimates, 43% of remote and in-house teams use a video conferencing solution, with 78% of corporate companies using video calling software. 83% of businesses with higher than 250 employees are interested in purchasing video calling tools; over a quarter of small businesses are also looking to purchase video calling tools.

On top of creating opportunities for businesses to stay engaged video conferencing also allows you to develop your own office system, in a way. But In order to do so successfully, it’s important to ensure that you find a quiet space for meetings, whether it’s your weekly one-on-one or a larger all-hands discussion.

Get soundproofing headphones.

One of the best items you can get in any office — whether when you return to your physical office or are in a coworking space for the long haul — is a good pair of soundproofing headphones.

Your AirPods may have worked at home or on your commute, but you may need some additional tech to really ensure you’re successful in all of your forthcoming projects, assignments, and meetings.

TechRadar and Wirecutter from The New York Times both reviewed their top picks for 2021, with options ranging from $60 to $349. You really want to assess how often you’ll be using your headphones (at least a few hours during the work day) and how comfortable they are, the battery life, and the look before making your final purchase. 

As crazy as it sounds, this one minor item could be the reason you’re that much more successful as an employee and as a coworker in the coworking space.

For short meetings, make use of the skype booths and break-out spaces

Nairobi Garage Delta Corner Westlands Skype Booths

Most coworking spaces have skype booths sections that allow you to hold meetings or even pick calls. Make use of them as they are not bookable but mostly come as a value-add and on a first-come-first-serve basis.

While making use of the skype booths be mindful of the other coworkers and just spend the stipulated time to allow others to hold their meetings. The booths also allow one person or two so also take that into consideration.

You can also opt to have your meetings in the break-out places such as the lounges and outdoor space. Ensure you look out for these sections during your space tour and also ask the Community Manager or check the member guide issued to you to also understand the rules and regulations around using these facilities.

Be courteous.

This is quite possibly the most important thing to keep in mind — no matter what, you want to be courteous to the other employees in the space. This applies not only to the time you spend in meetings, but also in general: don’t leave your trash in shared spaces, don’t take loud phone calls, and don’t — we repeat, DON’T — use speaker phone in open office spaces.

By being as thoughtful and respectful of those around you, you’ll likely receive the same treatment in return — which makes those virtual meetings all the easier to navigate.