Last updated July 20, 2021
A checklist and guidance to consider when planning a meeting that may include in-person and virtual participants. As we adapt to facilitating a combination of in-person and virtual working environments, it’s important to make considerations for each style of work to ensure we are also creating an inclusive, collaborative, and productive work environment.
This document is a collaboration between UW–Madison Learning & Talent Development, The Office of Compliance, The Office of Strategic Consulting, and the Center for User Experience.
Why make meetings inclusive?
It’s more than making accommodations
There are a number of benefits to incorporating inclusive practices in everyday work, including higher productivity, higher job satisfaction, lower turnover rates (especially among people of color) and the ability to attract and retain employees from a broader talent pool. All of these factors assist in diversity and inclusion efforts, labor force demand needs, and employee work/life balance.
The following checklist and guidance can help develop supportive habits in preparing for and hosting inclusive meetings, preventing ableism, and building respect for coworkers in the workplace.
Using existing technology
Familiarize yourself with the available webinar tools before the actual meeting. Even if you hold in-person meetings in the same space without issue, hybrid meetings require different technology considerations to ensure that all participants feel engaged and included. Always practice with in-person and virtual participants before holding an actual hybrid meeting.
This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.
How to participate in a Zoom, Webex, or Microsoft Teams meeting
Language assistance on joining a virtual meeting using Zoom, Webex, or Teams video conferencing tools.
Español / Spanish | Hmoob / Hmong | བོད་ཡིག / Tibetan | 中文 / Chinese | नेपाली / Nepali | English
Where to build inclusivity into your meetings
This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.
In-meeting best practices
Stick to the agenda during the meeting and have someone take notes that can be referred to afterward.
This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.
Meeting room setup scenarios
For smaller meetings
Less than 8 people
For each agenda item, every participant will be given a chance to speak or pass before opening the floor up to general discussion. Note that the facilitator may wish to place a time limit on each person. Typically, at least going around the ‘table’ twice is recommended before moving to decision-making.
For larger meetings
More than 8 people
If you would like to speak, chat or instant message the facilitator to be recognized. If you don’t have access to chat/instant messaging, wait until the current speaker pauses or finished to raise your hand politely. The facilitator will keep a list of people who wish to speak.
Additional resources
This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.
Have a suggestion to improve this guide?
The Center for User Experience
At the Center for User Experience, we are committed to working with you to make digital spaces more accessible, usable and inclusive for all students, faculty and staff at UW–Madison. We help the university follow its Digital Accessibility Policy by offering free evaluation and consultation services to all UW–Madison community members.
Get in touch
- Meet with us: Book a quick chat with one of our team members to ask any questions you have.
- Start a project with us: We support accessible design and development. Fill out our Let’s Connect form to begin working with us on your project or to request an accessibility evaluation.
- Email us: Not sure if you’re ready to meet? Email us to start talking and figure out what to do next.