An ongoing debate<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nMeetings are no new invention \u2013 from personal interactions to professional settings, they have played an important role in several aspects of life. The only thing that\u2019s recently changed is how<\/em> we meet. Much of our work can now be done online, and meetings are no exception. But just how effective are virtual gatherings<\/a> and when should we stick with the traditional, in-person formats?<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"17](\"https:\/\/www.wework.com\/ideas\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/10\/Web_150DPI-20240729-17-St-Helens-Pl-Brand-Photoshoot-12-scaled.jpg?w=1215&resize=1440%2C810\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nVirtual vs. in-person meetings \u2013 what the research tells us<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWith the surge of remote work, videoconferencing tools have also significantly grown in popularity. They\u2019ve proved incredibly useful when you\u2019re working from home and get stuck on a small task in a project. You quickly dial up a coworker and resolve the issue with a 15-minute impromptu call. Or, you set up short, weekly check-ins with your dispersed team<\/a> to see how everyone\u2019s handling their workload.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe could argue that these two examples don\u2019t justify the need to get everyone together in a meeting room for lengthy discussions. Research<\/a> shows, however, that virtual meetings fail to engage participants to the same degree that face-to-face meetings do. On a similar note, a 2023 Gallup study<\/a> found that remote workers have become increasingly disconnected from their company\u2019s mission. That doesn\u2019t automatically mean that the benefits of in-person meetings<\/a> outweigh those of virtual ones.<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nVirtual vs. in-person meetings \u2013 what the research tells us<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWith the surge of remote work, videoconferencing tools have also significantly grown in popularity. They\u2019ve proved incredibly useful when you\u2019re working from home and get stuck on a small task in a project. You quickly dial up a coworker and resolve the issue with a 15-minute impromptu call. Or, you set up short, weekly check-ins with your dispersed team<\/a> to see how everyone\u2019s handling their workload.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWe could argue that these two examples don\u2019t justify the need to get everyone together in a meeting room for lengthy discussions. Research<\/a> shows, however, that virtual meetings fail to engage participants to the same degree that face-to-face meetings do. On a similar note, a 2023 Gallup study<\/a> found that remote workers have become increasingly disconnected from their company\u2019s mission. That doesn\u2019t automatically mean that the benefits of in-person meetings<\/a> outweigh those of virtual ones.<\/p>\n\n\n
We could argue that these two examples don\u2019t justify the need to get everyone together in a meeting room for lengthy discussions. Research<\/a> shows, however, that virtual meetings fail to engage participants to the same degree that face-to-face meetings do. On a similar note, a 2023 Gallup study<\/a> found that remote workers have become increasingly disconnected from their company\u2019s mission. That doesn\u2019t automatically mean that the benefits of in-person meetings<\/a> outweigh those of virtual ones.<\/p>\n\n\n