How can you use virtual meetings to show appreciation and recognition for your team?

- Dedicate a portion of the meeting to spotlight team members. Allow them to share their successes, experiences, or insights. This not only recognizes their efforts but also inspires others. - Send personalized digital appreciation cards or notes to team members before or after the meeting. Use emails, digital cards, or platforms like Slack to express gratitude for their work. - If applicable, present virtual awards or recognitions during the meeting. This could include "Employee of the Month" or other acknowledgments that celebrate outstanding performance.

Kick off virtual meetings with personalized recognition shoutouts. Highlight specific contributions or achievements of team members, expressing appreciation for their efforts.

Setting a positive tone in virtual meetings is important for creating collaboration, engagement, and a healthy team culture. In my experience, some ways to accomplish this include beginning the meeting by sharing positive news and updates. Highlighting successes is also a good way to boost morale. Staying on task and not veering off-topic, encouraging ideas and solutions from everyone, and ending on time can all help in maintaining a positive atmosphere. After the meeting, send a follow-up email summarizing the key points and expressing appreciation for everyone's participation.

Positive tones are commendable, but tread carefully. Forced cheerfulness risks sounding insincere. While gratitude is crucial, don't let it mask genuine challenges. Humor is potent, but not a band-aid for deeper issues. Icebreakers can foster connection, but not at the expense of efficiency. Positive tones should be authentic, not a performative act. Acknowledge contributions sincerely, not as a checklist. In the controversial realm of virtual meetings, a positive tone is a balancing act—genuine warmth without glossing over realities. Set the tone with authenticity; a facade of positivity may resonate as hollow, undermining the very connection you seek to foster.

Virtual meetings are a great channel to appreciate and recognise those who deserve it. Use a positive tone and avoid going over the top; seek to match the energy to the occasion and the recipient(s)' preferences. Individual and team achievements can be acknowledged and celebrated either on their own or as part of a regular meeting; for the latter, ensure there is enough time to give recognition and allow a few comments. More emotional moments, such as celebrating someone's 20th anniversary with the company, deserve their own event and preparation. Regardless the occasion, make sure you have all the right attendants joining, and if the occasion requires it, that they have prepared a few words as well.

1. Express gratitude and recognition during virtual meetings. 2. Highlight individual team members. Share their achievements and projects they've excelled in. 3. Incorporate team-building activities across global teammates to create a sense of camaraderie. 4. Allow team members to express their appreciation for their colleagues during group meetings. 5. Acknowledge the importance of continuous learning and offer professional development opportunities through online courses, workshops, or conferences. 6. Organize virtual celebrations for milestones, project completions, or birthdays.

Use digital platforms to create a "wall of fame" showcasing the achievements of team members. This not only celebrates successes, but also serves as a constant visual reminder of the team's collective accomplishments

Incorporate virtual "show and tell" sessions during meetings, allowing team members to showcase their achievements or milestones. Whether it's a project demo, a success story, or a notable accomplishment, these sessions provide a platform for direct sharing.

Celebrations energize teams, but not every win deserves a parade. While acknowledging achievements is crucial, avoid inflated praise. Celebrate strategically; too many festivities may dilute their impact. Virtual cards and gifts are thoughtful, but not a substitute for genuine recognition. Creative celebrations are potent, but beware gimmicks overshadowing substance. In the controversial terrain of virtual celebrations, balance festivity with authenticity. Celebrate achievements selectively; each acknowledgment should resonate, not drown in a sea of constant applause. Let celebrations be a strategic applause, not a routine soundtrack.

I know first-hand how powerful and emotional a virtual celebration can be, being the recipient of several, including my 1-year anniversary! Preparation and timing are key to success here, and if you can organise a tangible gift or memento of the occasion, you're bound to deliver a memorable experience to the recipient(s). Career anniversaries should be celebrated on their exact day, or closest working day if they fall on a weekend. Achievements and accomplishments should be celebrated no later than a few days after their completion. Here you can be creative and call for a meeting under a different pretext, creating a moment of positive surprise. Recognition makes a stronger impression especially when it’s not expected!

Implement a "virtual suggestion box". This can encourage ongoing feedback, showing that you value team members' input not just during meetings but as a continuous improvement process

Incorporate breakout discussions specifically focused on gathering feedback. Use breakout rooms to encourage smaller, more intimate conversations where team members can openly share insights.

It is easy to launch into the agenda for the meeting once the social part is done. Adopt an attitude of 'team first'. Transition from the easy-going social part into a more toned-down feedback session. Get team members to share from the week or month that passed. Encourage them to share highs and lows. They may also wish to share personal challenges. Where they do so, other team members can encourage and motivate them.

Participation and feedback should be a natural part of most meetings. If you're not allowing time for your team to get involved and contribute, you're not inviting their opinion, or not listening actively, then they'll become disillusioned and refrain from participating. The best meetings either have a co-created agenda, especially when innovation and creativity are needed to solve or to develop a new way, or are providing the space and time for everyone to come prepared and share their feedback and input. Polls, surveys, suggestion boxes or any other form of participation works as long as everyone feels their voice is heard, so make sure to acknowledge their input and comments received in the conversation, and have a plan to action them.

In my experience I start the virtual meeting with a sincere expression of gratitude for the team's participation and feedback. Acknowledging the value of their insights and contributions to the team's success. During the meeting, giving individual shout-outs to team members who actively participated or provided valuable feedback and highlighting specific instances or comments that demonstrated their engagement. Showcasing positive comments or suggestions made by team members in previous meetings and Sharing these during the current meeting to acknowledge and celebrate their valuable input.

An important thing to remember is to praise in public and give corrective feedback in private. Create trust by respecting people. According to a researchers, the average employee ideally needs 6 positive pieces of feedback for every negative received. If you aim to create a more positive workplace for your team keep the ratio of positive to negative interactions high, focus on 6:1 and notice the improvements in creating positive relationships, face to face or virtually.

We host a monthly skill-share session. This is also a virtual meetings and highlights team members' expertise, fostering a culture of learning and mutual appreciation.

During pandemic, I Created virtual certificates or badges that team members earned upon completing training programs (we started applying Microsoft when transitioning to virtual classes from 100% room based) or achieving milestones in their learning journey and recognizing and displaying these achievements during the meeting was core.

One useful way to motivate your team is to be invested in their overall wellbeing. Set aside a slot in the meeting to inspire them. Sharing something from your own life is very effective. You may invite an expert or colleague to motivate them for a short while. The meeting itself could be a learning and development opportunity. Dedicate, perhaps, half the meeting to coach the team on any pre-identified weak areas.

Consistent and genuine recognition goes a long way in creating a positive work culture. Tailor your approach based on the preferences and personalities of your team members to ensure that your efforts are well-received.

Being flexible and empathetic stems from knowing your team well. Two aspects on which it is key to make space are personality styles and meeting times. Introverts are less likely to switch on cameras and participate. Adapt the meeting style or their contribution to the meeting in a way that accommodates their personality style. If there are time differences or team members, prior commitments or family emergencies, learn to prioritise these when setting the meeting time. Emergencies mean that you may need to adjust the time or postpone it. Be open to this.

How about closing meetings with a positive "shout-out" round, where each member highlights something positive about a colleague's recent work, reinforcing a culture of recognition and positivity.

Consider highlighting team achievements, positive outcomes, and acknowledging collaborative efforts. Ensure meetings foster engagement rather than becoming one-sided. Avoid concluding with top-down recognition, as it may backfire, leaving individuals feeling undervalued. Peer-to-peer recognition is more impactful. Instead, conclude meetings by shifting the focus from projects to personal aspects. Inquire about each member's latest project or challenge, showcasing empathy and attentiveness. This approach enables the team to connect on a human level, reinforcing a sense of unity and camaraderie.

Many virtual meetings happened today and people even couldnot show face due to poor internet bandwith. To encourage recognition and appreciation we can also: - leverage icons/reactions - send congratulations via chat - follow up after virtual meetings

When working with Miro it can be a nice gesture to bring each name on the board and let people write their appreciations on it. At the end everyone has a beautiful list of compliments including the leaders feedback

In both virtual and in-person team meetings, prioritize genuine consideration for each member's input. Acknowledge achievements, examples, and ideas to authentically demonstrate leadership and promote meaningful engagement. Recognizing contributors not only highlights their value but also cultivates a positive environment, elevating participation and enhancing the overall quality of contributions. This approach fosters team cohesion and maturity. Leveraging meetings for collective appreciation inspires and motivates team members, fostering a more productive and united work environment.

Using virtual meetings to show appreciation and recognition for your team can be both impactful and meaningful. One thing that I have found helpful is to have Scheduled Recognition Segments. For example, dedicate a portion of regular meetings specifically for recognizing achievements and contributions. This can be a formal agenda item.

In the dynamic landscape of post-COVID remote work, harnessing the power of virtual meetings becomes crucial for appreciating and recognition within diverse teams. Today's team, blends youth's tech-savviness with the wisdom of elderly adept at navigating the new normal. We can utilize virtual platforms creatively, incorporating elements like virtual applause, personalized shout-outs, or themed backgrounds to make meetings engaging and inclusive. By acknowledging individual achievements and expressing gratitude, leaders can bridge generational gaps, making the virtual space a vibrant hub for team connection.