Suddenly Hybrid: Managing the Modern Meeting

Hybrid meetings are becoming the norm as remote work becomes less of an unusual exception and more of an everyday necessity.

The authors draw on their extensive experience in research and business, as well as firsthand accounts and current studies, to provide a guide that is both scientifically sound and practical. They also make a strong case for asynchronous audio as a new power medium in team communication.

The Rise of Asynchronous Audio

excerpt from Suddenly Hybrid: Managing the Modern Meeting,

Even though we are advocates for video, we do recognize that there are times we just aren’t camera ready but still want to send a message with nuance, personality, and tone. There’s another medium that is rising in popularity – asynchronous audio. Like video, you can say a lot in a little bit of time – and if you didn’t like what you said the first time through, you can easily go back and re-record before you hit send.

“Voice is high bandwidth. It’s high resolution. You can get out a lot more information with voice than you can by typing,” says Justin Mitchell, CEO of Yac, a voice collaboration platform that allows users to record themselves and send out audio snippets to teammates. Need to update a colleague about an interaction you had with a sales target? Rather than sending over a calendar invite for a video call, you can send a voice message with searchable transcription. Have a status report you need to share with your project team? Rather than sending a 400-word email with a screenshot attached, record yourself voicing over a screen share to deliver it in a richer way.

Having audio files that you can listen to at a time that’s right for you reflects the prioritization of flexible work. It allows you to stay on task and choose when to interrupt your own work flow, something that is not lost on Yac’s CEO, who appreciates that you can consume the information passively: “One of my favorite things to do throughout the day is to let my recorded team updates pile up for a little bit,” says Justin. “I will go for a walk and hit my ‘Play all’ button in Yac, It’s just like a miniature podcast. It’s a great way to understand what my team is working on without having to be strapped to my desk and staring at a video call.”

The use of richer media to convey messages efficiently and powerfully is a positive step, but many companies are also incorporating another tool that allows for even more inclusive collaboration: captioning.

Go further with hybrid work

Working from home is here to stay. However, not every company can commit to a completely remote schedule at this time. A hybrid model might be the best option for those businesses.

Businesses interested in a hybrid working model have a variety of options. The model that aligns with your employees' preferences while making the most sense for your business practices will be the best fit for your company.

Establishing a healthy and productive, flexible working environment requires tools to help— this is where Yac comes in. Sign up for free to see how Yac can help employees communicate conveniently while working remotely.