The Importance of Virtual Facilitation
It takes time to create and facilitate an online workshop that is efficient and takes into account the difficulties that can arise when working remotely. Virtual facilitators (the person responsible for ensuring the session is run smoothly and actively engages the participants) need to be able to adjust quickly on the as they go.
A successful online meeting or workshop requires the right balance https://mergerdataroom.blog/how-to-boost-virtual-facilitation-among-clients-and-coworkers/ between information sharing, group discussion and engagement activities, as well as dealing with the logistical issues of poor technology, time management and note-taking. Virtual facilitators are typically responsible for these duties which can be stressful and complicated particularly if the sessions are poorly managed.
Virtual facilitation is becoming more common as groups work remotely and organizations have to cope with the need for flexible meetings. It’s an art that can only be learned through experience and is not that different from facilitators who are in person apart from the added task of motivating and involving remote participants throughout the session.
Numerous studies have noted the importance of adjusting VF to the particular organizational structure and the cultural characteristics of each center. This was highlighted by Fox et al., who provided facilitators with guidelines for a certain number of virtual facilitation interactions per center. Other studies, such as Malone et al., and Hartmann and co., included a training component for facilitators within the organization which focused on enhancing their capabilities and skills specifically related to virtual facilitation.