Microsoft Teams Etiquette

Microsoft Teams Etiquette: The Do’s and Don’ts of Virtual Meetings

Microsoft Teams is a comprehensive collaboration platform that enables teams to communicate and collaborate efficiently and conduct virtual meetings effortlessly, regardless of location.

Many individuals need to pay more attention to the significance of virtual conferences and approach them with the necessary professionalism. Understanding virtual meeting etiquette is crucial to ensure a productive and professional experience with increased usage.

In this article, we will discuss the do’s and don’ts of MS Teams etiquette.

Do’s of Microsoft Teams Etiquette

Join the meeting on time: Just like in-person meetings, virtual meetings require everyone’s timely participation to start and end on schedule. Being prompt for a virtual meeting conveys professionalism and respect for your colleagues’ time and sets a positive tone for a productive and efficient meeting. It also demonstrates that you value your colleagues’ time and are committed to making the most of the meeting.
Dress appropriately: Virtual meetings offer a more casual dress code than in-person meetings, but dressing professionally still holds great importance. Professionally presenting yourself clearly conveys that you take the meeting and its purpose seriously. It’s a small effort that can greatly impact the perception of your professionalism and commitment.

Note: Mute your microphone when not speaking: This helps reduce background noise and ensures that everyone can hear each other.
It is important to remember that even the smallest of sounds can be amplified and disruptive in a virtual meeting setting. Additionally, it allows for a more organized and productive discussion, as everyone can hear and follow the conversation with ease.

Use a reliable internet connection: A slow or unreliable internet connection can distract and disrupt the meeting flow. Make sure to test your connection before the meeting to avoid technical issues.
Test your camera before the meeting: Many people ignore this feature. However, it is essential to double-check that it is working to ensure good communication and visibility.
Turn on your video: Using video during virtual meetings is crucial in establishing a personal connection and facilitating effective communication.

Body language and facial expressions or any other nonverbal cues, play a significant role in how messages are interpreted and understood. This leads to more meaningful and productive discussions and improved collaboration and relationship-building among team members.

Pay attention to your surroundings: Minimizing distractions and focusing on the meeting at hand is crucial. Checking your phone or working on other tasks during the meeting can be disruptive and takes away from the overall productivity of the meeting. Being fully present and engaged demonstrates your respect for the meeting, your colleagues, and the agenda being discussed.
Be present and engaged: By paying attention to the meeting and actively participating in discussions, you help to create a focused and productive atmosphere. This allows for more efficient decision-making and ensures everyone’s perspectives and ideas are heard. It also shows your colleagues that you are invested in the meeting and its outcomes. Furthermore, actively participating in virtual meetings can help to build relationships and foster better collaboration among team members.

Don’ts of Microsoft Teams Etiquette

Speak over others: Interruptions can disrupt the meeting flow and make it difficult for everyone to follow the conversation. By waiting your turn to speak, you demonstrate consideration for your colleagues and allow for a more organized and effective discussion.
Eat or drink during the meeting: The sound of eating or drinking can be amplified in a virtual setting and can take away from the focus of the meeting. Eating or drinking before or after the meeting is best to avoid such distractions. You disrespect your colleagues by eating or drinking during the meeting.
Use excessive background noises: It is crucial to avoid excessive background noises, such as typing on your keyboard or shuffling papers. This can be distracting to others and detract from the meeting’s focus.
Use inappropriate language or behavior: In any professional setting, avoiding inappropriate language or behavior during the meeting is essential. The chosen negative wording can be highly off-putting and lead to the disintegration of team dynamics.
Multi-task during the meeting: Avoid checking your phone, email, or other distractions during the meeting. This shows a lack of respect for others and can detract from the meeting’s focus. Such distractions can also make you feel disinterested or not take the meeting seriously.

How to Speak on MS Teams

In order to ensure a successful virtual interaction on Microsoft Teams, it is essential to be mindful of specific etiquette guidelines.

Firstly, participants should arrive at the meeting on time and with an agenda in mind – this will help keep the meeting organized and on track.
Secondly, dress appropriately; even if the meeting is online, impressions still matter.
Thirdly, remaining engaged during the discussion is essential – ask questions and contribute ideas or solutions when necessary.
Fourthly, avoid talking over others due to technical issues such as lag or poor audio quality. Lastly, after the meeting is concluded, thank everyone for their participation and share any materials that were discussed for future reference. These simple etiquette tips will help ensure productive and effective interactions on Microsoft Teams.

Speak clearly: When speaking during a Microsoft Teams meeting, it is essential to speak at a moderate pace. Doing so will help ensure that everyone can understand what you are saying and keep up with the conversation. Additionally, make sure to take pauses between sentences for others to comment, which will help maintain an organized discussion.Also, avoid excessive jargon, as not everyone may be familiar with technical terms. Finally, be mindful of your tone of voice since this plays a significant role in conveying emotion and can easily be misinterpreted online if not appropriately managed.
Use appropriate body language: Even though virtual meetings lack the physical cues of in-person meetings, it’s still important to interact through body language. Making eye contact with the camera on your device and nodding or smiling can help show engagement in the discussion and indicate understanding. Additionally, try to keep your posture upright and lean slightly forward as this conveys an interested listener.
Ask for clarification: When discussing a Microsoft Teams meeting, it is important to ask for clarification if you are unsure of something. This will ensure everyone is on the same page and helps ensure clarity and clarity. Additionally, it may be helpful to summarize periodically what has already been said to ensure everyone understands the conversation so far. Asking questions also allows others to contribute and voice their opinions, helping facilitate an organized and collaborative environment.
Summarize key points: After each speaker, it is helpful to summarize the key issues discussed to make sure the information is understood correctly by everyone. Additionally, it’s important to acknowledge each person’s comments, as this will help encourage further participation and offer opportunities for further discussion. Summarizing also helps capture all information accurately and verify understanding.

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Use a headset: As mentioned previously, it is vital to ensure good sound quality. Using a headset helps to improve audio quality and reduce background noise.
Avoid filler words: To deliver a clear and concise message when speaking during Microsoft Teams meetings, it is important to avoid using filler words such as “um,” “ah,” and “you know.” These words can be distracting and take away from the importance of your message. Instead, pause between thoughts to help make sure that what you’re saying carries its full weight. Pausing also allows others time to process the information you have presented.

Don’ts of Speaking on MS Teams:

Raise your voice: Raising your voice during Microsoft Teams meetings can be disruptive to other participants. It can also be confrontational or aggressive, which may influence how your message is perceived. Instead, focus on using a clear tone of voice, even if you are trying to emphasize an important point. This will help ensure that everyone can understand the information being discussed and will maintain a respectful atmosphere.
Talk too fast: It is important to speak at a moderate pace when speaking during Microsoft Teams meetings. This will help ensure that your message is understood clearly by everyone in the meeting. It can also be beneficial to slow down and pause between points while speaking to ensure that everyone has enough time to process the information being communicated.
Neglect personal grooming: Personal grooming is important even during virtual meetings. Wearing presentable attire and ensuring that your appearance is neat can create a professional atmosphere and ensure that your message is received clearly. Avoid appearing unkempt, as this can distract from the meeting’s focus and give an unprofessional impression. Taking the time to make sure you look polished before joining a Microsoft Teams meeting can help foster an efficient and positive discussion.

How to End a Teams Video Meeting

At the end of a Microsoft Teams video meeting, it’s important to wrap up in a professional and organized manner. Summarize any key points discussed during the meeting and ensure that all participants clearly understand what needs to be done next.

Ask if anyone had any questions or if there is anything else they would like to discuss before ending the meeting. This can help ensure clarity is clear. Here are some tips:

Thank all participants: At the end of the meeting, thank all participants for their time and contributions. This can foster an atmosphere of collaboration and encourage further participation in future virtual meetings.
Recap key points: At the end of the meeting, be sure to recap the key points that were discussed. Clarify any decisions that were made, tasks that need to be completed, and follow-up actions that need to be taken. This helps ensure that everyone is on the same page and avoids any confusion or miscommunication in the future.

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Assign action items: At the end of the meeting, assign any action items discussed to the appropriate participants. Assigning tasks will help ensure that these items are completed promptly and demonstrate your commitment to working together towards a common goal.
Schedule the next meeting: At the end of the meeting, be sure to schedule the next meeting and confirm the date, time, and agenda with all participants. This will help ensure everyone involved is on the same page and has adequate time to prepare for the next session.
Provide next steps: At the end of the meeting, provide information about any next steps or actions that need to be taken. This will help ensure that everyone involved knows their responsibilities and can plan accordingly.

When participating in a Microsoft Teams video meeting, it’s important to follow proper etiquette for a successful and productive virtual interaction.

You can also use the “raise hand” feature to ask questions or make comments during the meeting and check for any device problems ahead of time. By following these do’s and don’ts, you can ensure that your virtual meetings run smoothly and everyone feels respected and valued.

Don’ts at the end of a Teams video meeting:

Neglect to wrap up: Additionally, it’s important to only end the meeting abruptly after wrapping up the discussion. Make sure to summarize any key points at the end of the meeting and thank everyone for participating.
Leave without saying goodbye: Make sure to say goodbye to the participants before leaving the meeting. This is a polite way to end the video call and acknowledges that everyone had their time respected.
Forget to mute: Remember to mute your microphone after the meeting, to avoid any unnecessary background noise.

Microsoft Teams Etiquette for Students

Microsoft Teams is not just a tool for professionals but is also widely used in educational institutions. For students, it’s important to understand the etiquette that should be followed to ensure a productive and professional virtual learning experience.

As more students rely on Microsoft Teams for virtual learning and communication, it’s important to follow proper etiquette to ensure a respectful and productive virtual classroom experience.

Do’s of Microsoft Teams Etiquette for Students

Be on time: It’s important to join the virtual class on time, just as you would for an in-person course. This shows respect for your teacher’s and classmates’ time and allows for the class to start and end on schedule.
Dress appropriately: Although virtual classes allow for a more relaxed dress code, it’s still important to dress appropriately. This sends a message that you are serious and respectful of the course.
Participate in discussions: Virtual classes allow students to participate in discussions and ask questions actively. To enhance your learning experience it’s cruicial to use this golden opportunity.
Participate actively: Pay attention to the class and actively participate in discussions. This helps to create a productive and focused atmosphere.
Use a reliable internet connection: A slow or unreliable internet connection can distracts the class flow. Make sure to test your connection before the class starts to avoid technical issues.

Don’ts of Microsoft Teams Etiquette for Students

Speak over others: It is essential to avoid interrupting the flow of the meeting. This shows consideration for your colleagues and helps facilitate better communication.
Eat or drink during class: To keep distractions to a minimum, it’s best to avoid eating or drinking during the meeting. Doing so shows a lack of respect for your colleagues and can detract from the focus of the conversation. Consider having your snacks or drinks before or after the meeting instead!
Use excessive background noises: To maintain focus during the meeting, it is important not to make too much noise with activities such as typing on your keyboard or shuffling papers. Doing so can be distracting to others and take away from the conversation.
Multi-task during class: To demonstrate respect for others and ensure that the meeting goes smoothly, it is important to avoid checking your phone, emails, or other distractions. Doing so can detract from the focus of the conversation and give off the impression that you need to take the meeting seriously.
Use inappropriate language or behavior: To create a positive and productive atmosphere, it is important to refrain from using offensive language or engaging in unprofessional behavior during the meeting. Doing so can be highly distasteful and disrupt the dynamics of the team.
In conclusion, following proper Microsoft Teams etiquette is crucial for a productive and professional virtual meeting or learning experience. Following the do’s and don’ts outlined in this article can ensure a respectful and effective virtual meeting or class.

What to say to end a Teams meeting?

When ending a Microsoft Teams meeting, it’s essential to wrap up the discussion and thank participants for their time.

You could say: “Thank you all for joining today’s meeting. We’ve covered all the important points and I think we’ve made good progress. If there’s anything further that needs to be discussed, we can follow up by email or in the next meeting. Have a great day everyone!“

Summarize the discussion, thank participants for their time and participation in the meeting, and provide information about any next steps or follow-up actions that need to be taken.

Should you join a Teams meeting early?

Joining a Microsoft Teams meeting early can help ensure a smooth and efficient meeting.

However, it’s important to consider the following:

Only some participants may be ready: Joining a meeting early can be counterproductive if other participants still need to be ready. This can result in confusion or difficulty with getting started.
Avoid background noise: If you enter the meeting earlier than other participants, be sure to turn off any sounds that could be distracting or disruptive.

In conclusion, joining a Teams meeting early is a personal decision that should be based on the circumstances of the meeting. If you do decide to enter the meeting ahead of others, avoid any distractions or disruptions that could inconvenience other participants.

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Blog • Meeting & Productivity, Microsoft Teams