{"id":4168,"date":"2022-05-31T14:28:35","date_gmt":"2022-05-31T14:28:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/?p=4168"},"modified":"2026-04-06T10:09:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T10:09:21","slug":"advantages-disadvantages-virtual-meetings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/advantages-disadvantages-virtual-meetings\/","title":{"rendered":"Advantages and Disadvantages of Virtual Meetings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Are virtual meetings a practical solution or an unwelcome spillover of remote work communication<\/a>? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you like them or not, virtual meetings are becoming ever more common \u2014 they are unavoidable in remote work environments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A virtual meeting is a type of meeting that enables people in different locations to meet in the same virtual space via an internet connection.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we consider the fact that, according to research, 97% of those surveyed<\/a> would choose a remote work model for the rest of their careers, the importance of virtual meetings becomes even clearer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re not sure whether virtual meetings are a good option or just an unwelcome necessity, let us help you consider both sides of the medal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this blog post, we\u2019ll consider the pros<\/strong> and cons<\/strong> of virtual meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, we\u2019ll briefly take a look at the disadvantages of virtual meetings, and then we\u2019ll dive into the advantages of virtual meetings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s see what the scale says \u2014 are there more benefits or drawbacks? <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Advantages<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Why do we need virtual meetings?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So, if we\u2019re not able to hold in-office meetings, why isn\u2019t it enough to communicate only via email? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As usual, science offers us an explanation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Namely, according to the philosopher Ned Kock and his Media Naturalness Theory<\/a>, our brains are used to face-to-face communication. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, the more natural and similar to this kind of communication our conversations are, the less cognitive effort is required to use it. This is the gist of media naturalness theory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This theory identifies 5 main characteristics of media naturalness<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Co-location \u2014 the participants should occupy the same physical space<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Synchronicity \u2014 communication exchanges should be immediate<\/strong> and spontaneous<\/strong>. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. The ability to observe and use facial expressions<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. The ability to observe and use body language<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. The ability to convey and listen to speech<\/strong>. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Although virtual meetings do not satisfy all the points mentioned above, they do come pretty close. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Actually, virtual meetings are sometimes even a better option than in-person meetings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Of course, there are both disadvantages and advantages to virtual meetings, so let\u2019s start with the disadvantages. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

    \n
    \n Hold meetings on Pumble and collaborate in real time<\/span>\n

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    \n \n \n \"Illustration\"\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\n

    Disadvantages of virtual meetings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Virtual meetings come with their own set of challenges \u2014 objective challenges, such as technical difficulties or differences in time zones, as well as subjective challenges, such as feeling disconnected from the other virtual meeting attendees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Let\u2019s go over all of these disadvantages in a bit more detail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Team members might experience technical difficulties \ud83d\udea7 <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    First of all, despite all the technological advancements, problems with wi-fi and software are still real. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And the moments they get to us the most are certainly during our virtual meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For sure, you have by now seen at least some of your colleagues freeze in the funniest positions during your online meetings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Moreover, we\u2019re all tired of that one unavoidable question at the beginning of each attendee\u2019s virtual meeting presentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You guessed it \u2014 it\u2019s the famous \u201cCan everyone hear me?\u201d<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As funny or annoying as that may sound, it\u2019s necessary to check if we\u2019re heard \u2014 sometimes, due to various tech issues, we won\u2019t be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Team members might not participate equally \ud83d\udca4<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Even if you\u2019re lucky enough not to experience any technical difficulties during your virtual meetings, it doesn\u2019t mean everything will go smoothly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What if there\u2019s one person that dominates every meeting and doesn\u2019t give anyone else a chance to give their two cents? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Sure, the meeting facilitator should keep track of who’s talking and for how long, but sometimes it\u2019s not so easy to check on every attendee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Aside from that, since virtual meetings are usually less spontaneous, you might miss out on some creative ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

    \n
    \n Make communication easier<\/span>\n

    Simplify team communication and collaborate more effectively. Try Pumble.<\/p>\n\n

    \n Sign up<\/a>\n\n Learn more<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
    \n \n \n \"Illustration\"\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\n
    \n

    \ud83d\udca1 Pumble Pro Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    To have better virtual meetings, you should assign 5 meeting roles. If you need help, check out our blog post on 5 meeting roles you need to assign for a more productive virtual meeting:<\/p>\n\n\n\n