Making Virtual and Hybrid Meetings Inclusive—Oct. 22, 2025
Virtual and hybrid meeting types existed well before the pandemic, and will continue to exist well into the future. Here are five quick tips to make sure your meeting is as inclusive as possible:
- Turn on cameras and microphones while folks file in before the meeting starts. This provides a space for transition into the meeting and enables participants to foster connections in a setting where it is otherwise difficult to do so.
- Identify potential equity gaps. Check with attendees ahead of the meeting to inquire about accessibility needs (e.g., accessible meeting materials, additional information pre-meeting).
- Introduce accessibility features at the beginning of the meeting (e.g., captions, audio transcription, how to change display name/add pronouns), and turn these settings on as the host to cultivate norms of access and inclusion.
- Consistently apply inclusive practices and set expectations to mitigate feelings of exclusion or isolation (e.g., proactively seek attendee participation, display your pronouns and correctly refer to others, and explain acronyms or phrases that might not be well known).
- Design a set of co-created norms, especially for recurring meetings. This might include cameras-on, designating someone to watch the chat, or pronouns in display names. This allows for a deeper sense of trust and belonging in a virtual space, as well as helps meetings run smoothly.
Learn more by registering for Making Virtual and Hybrid Meetings Inclusive: Exploring Equity Gaps, an interactive training session led by the Organization and Employee Development (OED) team in Human Resources.
See here for more professional development offerings—many of which are also open to students/grad students.