Almost 90 percent of employees want to experience greater transparency in the workplace and nearly 85 percent of employees are keen to feel more connected with remote colleagues, according to a survey by Slack. So what can businesses do to improve transparency and help create a better sense of community within their organisation?
Town hall or all-hands meetings are a great way for business leaders to communicate directly with the whole company at once, providing a platform for senior team members to share company updates and deliver important information.
As well as enabling organisations to be more transparent with their employees, regular town hall meetings can help staff to feel more connected, which is particularly important for those choosing to adopt a remote or hybrid work model.
Bringing the whole organisation together for a town hall meeting allows businesses to keep employees up to speed on any company developments, helping staff to feel more aligned with new strategies and initiatives.
All-hands meetings also provide a perfect opportunity for business leaders to help employees to understand the impact their contributions can have on the success of their organisation. In addition, town halls give staff a chance to have their voices heard, whether through Q&A sessions or polls.
A town hall is a company-wide meeting, which was traditionally held in-person, but it’s becoming more common for businesses to adopt a virtual or hybrid approach.
What are the benefits of hosting virtual or hybrid town hall meetings?
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- Lower Cost: Hosting a traditional face-to-face town hall meeting can be expensive, with the cost of hiring a venue, catering and potential travel and accommodation to take into consideration. Virtual meetings can be a more cost effective way to achieve the same results on a smaller budget.
- An Environmentally Friendly Solution: A virtual town hall is better for the environment as staff participate remotely, which means businesses are able to reduce their carbon footprint and save on the printed documents usually circulated during face-to-face meetings
- Increased Attendance: A virtual meeting allows people to participate from anywhere, making it easier for employees to attend. As there is no travel involved, a virtual town hall doesn’t require the same time commitment as a face-to-face meeting, which means those with busy schedules are more likely to be able to attend.
While virtual town halls have become a more sustainable and convenient alternative to traditional in-person meetings, the hybrid format provides a middle ground for those who still prefer to have a face to face connection. Hybrid meetings typically consist of an in-person panel, who conduct the meeting as it is livestreamed to attendees joining remotely.
Hosting virtual and hybrid town hall meetings can be a highly effective way to increase employee productivity, boost staff retention and improve internal communications.
Find out how we helped global paint supplier, PPG, to engage with employees worldwide with a two-day virtual conference, which saw our team link up a panel of senior leaders in the UK with their counterparts in Paris and Helsinki as the event was livestreamed internationally.
If you’re planning on running a virtual town hall or business event, find out how Virtuopo can help by calling 0151 662 0275 or email info@virtuopo.com.