As governance professionals offering Board Services, there has been a shift in the scope of work and indeed the perceived lower value of the service(s), now that some Board meetings are mostly virtual. This perception, in our view is misplaced, as the same pre, post and in meeting services offered by corporate secretaries remain, despite the lack of a commute and in person attendance.

But back to the question, should there be a return to boardroom policy similar to the return to office policy? Also, yes. There should be at least a minimum of one Board meeting a year (and hopefully the strategy review meeting) which should be in person, in order for the Board members not to lose connection with each other, the chance to collaborate, to build a better team dynamic and a better board culture and increase the Board’s effectiveness.

The case for supporting Virtual Board meetings is significant. This includes:
1. It is cost efficient- as it lowers the administrative cost of travel and hosting of the Board members and the time taken to do it.
2. Allows for greater Board Diversity- as different Board members can join in from different parts of the world, it allows the company to have members from diverse backgrounds and countries to give their matters diverse views.
3. Enhanced governance- virtual meetings have allowed Board members to be more agile with their participation- being able to have these meetings from wherever they are, to make time-sensitive decisions and communicate regularly on matters that need continuous or urgent attention.

In order to ensure that virtual board meetings are effective the meeting organizer (usually the company secretary) can consider the following:
1. Ensuring that the Board Charter defines the meeting provisions in order to validate such meetings from the onset.
2. Dispense with the meeting design: the technology should be easy to use and available to all, have a clear agenda, the meeting time should be as accommodating as possible, there should be an agreement on ground rules to be observed for etiquette and as well the facilitation of the meeting should be supported- note taking tools and tech support.
3. Encourage interaction: This can be through meeting tools such as break out rooms, having an ice breaker and slotted pre and post meeting informal catch up time (15 minutes).
4. Less is more: adjust the presentations to a few slides in order to allow more discussion where people can observe the non verbal cues in their discussions.
5. Effective Chairing: The secretary can act as a second eye to the Chair in moderating the discussions, ensuring all members get to speak, diffusing tension, taking mental breaks every 20 minutes for members to refresh their minds.

So to show value, we as governance professionals must create value. Use these tips for more effective virtual meetings, but do not forget the human need to connect regularly. We at Akira are happy to help!