As of December 20, 2021, virtual General Meetings (Annual General Meetings (AGMs) and Special General Meetings (SGMs)) for Strata Corporations in BC were extended until December 31, 2022, without the need for the Strata to have a bylaw in place. Although virtual strata meetings have been the new normal in the strata management industry for the past two years now, they have brought on new challenges that differ from in-person meetings. Here are some helpful tips to keep everyone engaged at your next virtual strata meeting.

Find A User-Friendly Platform

It can be tricky to find a virtual platform that suits your Strata Corporation’s needs and works for everyone. Testing out potential platforms before making a decision is the best way to ensure user-friendliness and ease of use. Zoom, Google Meet, Slack, and Microsoft Teams are some of the top virtual meeting platforms to consider.

Incorporate Training or Instructions

Technology is not second nature for everyone. Offer a training session or provide instructions before making the switch. This will prevent hiccups and make everyone more comfortable.

Mute When Not Speaking

Noise is one of the major causes for lack of engagement when leading a virtual strata meeting. Strata council members may have children, pets, or a distracting background noise. It is important to remind strata council members and all other individuals attending the meeting to mute their microphone before the meeting starts to ensure a smooth and timely meeting. When speaking is appropriate, members can turn their microphone on and mute when finished.

Keep it Small

Large virtual meetings make it difficult to stay focused, as there is often too much going on at once. Limit your virtual strata meetings to include strata council members and encourage owners to submit a proxy form to reduce the number of individuals attending the meeting. This will give owners an opportunity to vote on the important matters presented at General Meetings without being present.

Utilize the “Raise Hand” & “Chat” Function

The “raise hand” and “chat” function is not available on all virtual meeting platforms, but can be very useful. When a member needs to speak, they click the “raise hand” function, which creates a notification for the host. This keeps the meeting organized, allows members to speak when appropriate, and prevents members from speaking at the same time. The “chat” function works similarly. Members can share their opinions, feedback, comments, and vote via a chat message.

Ensure Cameras Are Turned On

Although it can be intimidating for members to see each other, it is highly beneficial for adding a personal element to virtual strata meetings. Not only will strata council members take the meeting more seriously, it will also prevent members from showing up unprepared or underdressed.

Share the Agenda on Screen During the Meeting

Ensure strata council members are aware of the agenda prior to the meeting. Allow ample time for everyone to review, and share the agenda on the screen during the meeting. Almost all virtual meeting platforms have screen-sharing capabilities. This keeps the conversation on track and allows members to come prepared with questions or information. Off-topic discussions can eat up a lot of time, causing the meeting to go longer than expected. Keep everyone engaged by setting a time limit of one or two hours.

Implement a “Polling” feature

One of the challenges in any meeting, whether in person or virtually, is counting votes and ensuring the vote count is accurate. Many virtual meeting platforms have a polling feature. This allows individuals to submit their vote on a matter and the results are automatically calculated for the host. Polling can become quite tedious when there is a mix of proxy and in-person votes to consider.

Virtual strata meetings are very likely here to stay and have become the norm over the course of the pandemic, so it is best that you become familiar with these helpful tools.

CENTURY 21 Prudential Estates (RMD) Ltd. is here to help you with your diverse strata management needs. We offer a Financial Plus and Full Service option for any size Strata Corporation. Let us guide your strata property to success with expert guidance and advice. Request a strata management proposal or visit https://century21pel.com/strata/ to learn more about our strata management services.