Hybrid engagement – how to effectively engage in a transformed world

Hybrid engagement has become crucial to effectively engaging in business communications. Facilitating hybrid engagement allows for people to be in the room as well as online. When organised well, hybrid engagement is a cost effective and highly productive tool that can make the most of multiple resources in the one session.

To gain meaningful value from engagement, it is important to know how to effectively facilitate hybrid engagement.

Preparation is key

Ensure that preparation before the session is prioritised. The following two key areas are important to focus on: 

Know exactly what you want to achieve by the end of the meeting. Create a structured agenda designed around key objectives. Work out what online programs are needed, but keep it simple. People can be distracted by technology they're not used to using. Do these programs add value to the discussion?

Tech preparation beforehand will save you. Ensure you have set up the room to cater for the programs you are planning to use and have all the hardware ready to go for each person. Don’t assume anything and have a test-run before go time. Having a co-facilitator to help control the tech, as well as somebody to take notes and manage the technology, will reduce a lot of the stress for you as the facilitator. Technology can be unpredictable – don’t assume that you can do it all.

Technology can often throw unexpected (and last minute) challenges your way. Adaptability and problem solving are as the most important skills that facilitators and business people alike can use in this situation. 

Good facilitation ensures good outcomes

During a hybrid session, ensure everyone has equal opportunity to participate. Louder voices shouldn’t dominate, and people in the room shouldn’t overwhelm those dialling in online. The facilitator can oversee moving around the room and the virtual room by:

1. Seeking the opinions of those online before moving to the people in the room, or vice versa

2. Organising an agreement for one spokesperson to speak on behalf of smaller groups and report back to the wider group

3. Using break out rooms, and in-room table activities to simulate face-to-face engagement

WSP's facilitators will find the best way for your team, stakeholders or community to interact, adapting each session to ensure effective engagement and real outcomes.