More organisations now hold their AGM as a hybrid meeting, with some members in the room and others joining online. Done well, it widens attendance and makes voting easier. Done badly, remote members can’t hear, can’t be seen and can’t take part – which can cause real problems for a formal meeting.
Here’s the checklist we work through with clients when we set up a hybrid AGM.
1. Check your constitution or articles first
Before anything technical, confirm that your governing documents allow members to attend, speak and vote remotely. If they’re silent or unclear, take advice before the notice goes out. The technology can only support what your rules allow.
2. Choose the right platform for your members
Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Zoom Webinar all work well, but they suit different meetings:
- Zoom or Teams meetings suit smaller AGMs where remote members need to speak freely.
- Zoom Webinar or Teams town halls suit larger AGMs, where most people watch and a moderator brings speakers in for questions.
Pick the one your members are most comfortable with, and send clear joining instructions with the notice of meeting.
3. Plan how questions and votes will work
This is where most hybrid AGMs go wrong. Decide in advance:
- How remote members ask questions (raise hand, chat or a Q&A panel) and who monitors them.
- How in-room questions reach the remote audience – every speaker needs a microphone, or remote attendees simply won’t hear.
- How voting works for both groups – a show of hands in the room plus an online poll, or a single online voting tool for everyone.
4. Get the audio right
Remote attendees will forgive average video, but not poor sound. For most AGMs you’ll need:
- A microphone for the chair and each speaker at the top table.
- Handheld or roving microphones for questions from the floor.
- A small mixer feeding clean audio into the meeting platform, and a speaker system so the room can hear remote contributors.
5. Make sure remote members can see what matters
A camera on the top table, a second camera or view of the room, and slides shared directly into the platform (not filmed off a screen) make a big difference. A large display in the room lets the in-person audience see remote speakers too.
6. Test the venue beforehand
Check the venue’s internet connection – ideally a wired connection with a backup – and test sound, cameras and the platform in the actual room. Hotel and venue Wi-Fi shared with other guests is not a safe option for a formal meeting. If a wired connection isn’t possible, ask the venue for a dedicated Wi-Fi network just for your meeting.
7. Have a dedicated technician on the day
The chair should be running the meeting, not the technology. A technician who manages the platform, admits attendees, switches cameras, handles the microphones and deals with problems keeps the meeting on track and protects its validity.
8. Record it (if your rules allow)
A recording is useful for the minutes and for members who couldn’t attend. Let attendees know at the start if the meeting is being recorded.
Planning a hybrid AGM?
Video Conferencing London has set up and supported hybrid meetings for charities, member organisations, companies and public bodies for many years – supplying the cameras, microphones, streaming and on-site technician, and working directly with your venue. Tell us about your AGM and we’ll put together a quote.