We’re a remote company, which has a lot of perks, but also some downs. One of the biggest downs is ONLINE MEETINGS!
They’re just not as good as being in the same room with your colleagues. Everyone is in their own context, being distracted by their dog, neighbour or poor connection instead of being in sync with those around. For a while we took it for granted, but now we’ve found a method that helps us be more in sync and get more energy during our calls. Play some music!
It’s simple, during a meeting when there’s some work that needs to be done individually, like brainstorming, placing sticky-notes in a Figma or Miro board, or something else, the facilitator of the call simply shares their audio through Zoom or Teams and starts blasting some tunes for all to enjoy!
By using music you create a similar atmosphere for everyone in the call and as a facilitator, I can say this can make quite some difference and really helps people feel more together. Especially if you throw in some classics from the Spice Girls or Backstreet Boys.
Making sure the music matches with the task at hand is important though. Fun activity? Throw in the classics or covers from hits from the past. If the task requires more focussed thinking, you want to play more acoustic tunes or songs in languages your colleagues don’t speak so their thinking doesn’t get distracted by the words they hear.
Catering to a diverse and multicultural music taste can be challenging, which is why we created a playlist for anyone to use! Find it here and get dancing with your colleagues immediately!