Virtual events have become an undetachable part of our life. For some, it is in the form of the Work From Home. And for others, it is in the form of virtual meetings and virtual conferences. So it doesn’t matter in which form virtual events are part of day-to-day life. But this was not always the case.
Virtual events appeared back in the 90s. And were rarely used. Even if they were used, they were used for most interviews. However, things took a turn in favor of virtual events. And last year the outbreak of the pandemic forced people to stay at home. It meant no social gathering. And this included working spaces like offices. Hence many people started working from home. But virtual events are much more than virtual meetings.
Understanding the concept of virtual events
Virtual events are those events that are organized in digital settings instead of the physical world. These events are the digital alternatives to the physical world. So in short, you can attend the event without stepping outside of your home. And while doing so you can make sure each and every rule and norm are followed. Also, keeping employees safe.
Virtual events use technology. And in this case, it is the virtual event platform or virtual event software. These platforms or software provide an immersive experience. And features and tools for engaging the audience and networking. The aim here is to replicate the experience of a live event in the online world.
Now that you know the concept behind the virtual events, you must be thinking, which events can go virtual? The answer is all. You can host any event virtually. It allows you to host various innovative events. Some of the popular virtual events are
- Virtual meetings
- Virtual product launches
- Virtual conferences
- Virtual trade shows
- Virtual award shows
- Virtual exhibitions
- Virtual career/job fair
- Virtual AGMs
- Virtual Town Halls
And so on. This list is increasing every day. So it really boils down to the event organizer, which they want to host. But the most common type of virtual events is virtual meetings and virtual offices. Let’s talk about them.
Virtual Meetings, Office, and Work from Home
Virtual meetings are the digital versions of regular meetings. In other words, these are those meetings that are organized virtually or digitally. Virtual meetings are the most primary and common form of virtual events. And thousands of virtual meetings are organized daily around the world.
Virtual offices are those environments or software that help in connecting the team members who are working remotely. They provide a one-stop solution for everything. The office team members can chat, share documents, files, and screens in virtual offices. Also, they organize virtual meetings, justifying their names.
Work from home, as the name suggests, the employees work from their respective homes. Instead of traveling home. The employees are usually connected with the help of a network or a system. And they coordinate virtually to perform their tasks.
Engaging employees in virtual events
If you are looking for ways to boost the productivity of your employees who are working from home. Or to engage your employees. Then don’t worry. We have some tips for you which can help you to engage your employees.
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Ask employees about their day
The best and simplest way to break the ice is to ask your employees about their day or life. You can practice this thing daily or whenever the whole team meets virtually. You can ask each team member to describe one positive and one negative thing happening in their life. This will act as an ice breaker. And will also give the employee a sense of connectivity. They won’t feel isolated.
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Online office games
You can also play online games with your office employees to keep them in good spirits. This will help in team building. And will keep the employees in a good mood. You can keep short games in the middle of the long or continuous virtual meetings. Alternatively, these games can be kept for entertaining and relaxing the employees. Or to keep the employees in touch with each other.
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Office Team Bingo
You can play small games that don’t require additional hardware with your office team. And one of the popular and preferred games is bingo. You can assign one person to make the tickets for everyone and share them with the team virtually. And each person will get a chance to choose one number. Alternatively, you can all join a bingo application and play online with each other. This can act as a stress buster.
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Storytelling Workshops
You can host various kinds of online workshops to engage the employees. And one such workshop is storytelling. Not only will it attract the employees but also it will help them in improving their creative writing skills. And will help the employees to develop a hobby of writing stories and poems. This will help the employees to separate their work life and personal life.
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Virtual Quiz
To make your virtual sessions or virtual meetings exciting, you can host a quiz. These quizzes can be based on various topics or categories. For instance, it can be about films or web series. Or can be based on office party memories and so on. This will entertain the employees and will help them in refreshing the mind.
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Virtual Book Club
While working from home, people spend hours working in front of screens. This is not good for their health. And can be the reason behind stress and tiredness. So to reduce this, you can dedicate some time from your daily schedule and can read books together. This will help the employees to relax and spend a good time with their colleagues. Also, they will be able to refresh their mind. And will be able to think of innovative solutions for the problems.
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Virtual tea/ coffee sessions
One aspect of office life that is missing from the WFH is tea/coffee breaks. In these breaks, employees talk and discuss things other than work. This helps them in bonding with each other. Also, give them some time to shift their mind from work. So bring that tea/coffee session to employees’ homes. You and your team members can decide to take a tea/coffee break together and can meet on a video call.
These are some effective ways to engage the employees in virtual events. Tell us about your experience at virtual events.
