The Human Side of Virtual Meetings: Have We Forgotten How to Connect?

COVID-19 changed how we work, learn, and communicate, making virtual meetings and online classrooms part of everyday life. But as convenience has increased, have we lost some of the human connection and basic courtesies that make interactions meaningful?

Convenience at What Cost?

The COVID-19 pandemic changed not only how we work, learn, and communicate, but also how we interact with one another. What began as a necessity, when physical meetings were no longer possible, has become a way of life even after the pandemic. Virtual meetings have replaced boardroom discussions, online sessions have taken the place of classrooms, and a screen has become the new meeting room.

Having personally been involved in converting several classroom-based training programmes into online formats, I understand the convenience and practical advantages of this transition. Technology helped us continue learning and working during an unprecedented crisis. Yet, I have also experienced its limitations. A virtual session may deliver the content, but can it truly reproduce the energy of a classroom, the spontaneity of human interaction, or the connection that develops when people share the same physical space?

More importantly, while we have adapted our technology, have we adapted our behaviour for the better, or have we quietly abandoned some of the basic courtesies that define how we treat others?

Everyday Examples That Deserve Our Attention

• Children who looked forward to meeting classmates and making friends instead attended classes through laptops and mobile phones.
• Some professionals leave virtual sessions without a word, while invited participants may be left waiting in a virtual lobby without being welcomed.

1. Ask whether a virtual meeting is genuinely the most effective option, rather than choosing it only because it is convenient.
2. Remember that inviting someone to a meeting also means taking responsibility for welcoming them and communicating respectfully.