Our Virtual RealityVirtual collaboration isnrsquot the future of work ndash its the wave of the present

2Syneos Health

2

The ability to connect and collaborate digitally has never been more critical than it is at this moment Business as we know it has been drastically interrupted But organizations must press onward to make good on commitments to the patients stakeholders and shareholders they serve Achieving success in the current global context now hinges on ldquothe virtual meetingrdquo ndash the most important method for teams to stay connected troubleshoot and drive results While this new no-travel era is an interruption for many organizations itrsquos status quo for first-mover companies whose business models depend on virtual operations

As we can see geographic dispersion and digital collaboration are trends that have been in motion for some time current circumstances have forced these ways of working into mass adoption The good news we can glean best practices for virtual collaboration from companiesmdashin and out of healthcaremdashthat have already experimented and seen success

70 of Americans work remotely in some capacity Gallup research has found that this has been steadily increasing over the course of the decade

89 of virtual teams typically include at least two culturesAs cultures interpret ldquocollaborationrdquo differently virtual teams must create a shared understanding of what this looks like

31 of teams are entirely virtual Most companies using virtual teams however employ a hybrid arrangement of some kind

48 of remote workers never meet their team members in personThe decline in face-to-face meetings continues

16 of global companies are fully remote All employees work from workspaces their homes or wherever they choose

71 of virtual workers reported being happy in their work Compared to 55 of their co-located counterparts

Our Virtual Reality3

Ensuring that virtual meetings add value and velocity

This is about more than just using virtual platforms as a stand-in for face-to-face meetings This is about changing the way we collaborate Virtual collaboration has been the fabric of success in the startup community nimble small businesses and many high-performing global teams These newer (to most) virtual ways of working will not disappear once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted An evolved reality is here appropriately leveraging virtual techniques is the new way we collaborate

Doing so successfully comes down to nailing three factors

ldquoThis concept is similar tordquo

GIF

ldquoMic checkrdquo

ldquoOne more thoughtrdquo

J

C

BL

A

D

MK

ldquoThis concept is similar tordquo

GIF

ldquoMic checkrdquo

ldquoOne more thoughtrdquo

J

C

BL

A

D

MK

ldquoThis concept is similar tordquo

GIF

ldquoMic checkrdquo

ldquoOne more thoughtrdquo

J

C

BL

A

D

MK

Understanding how we learn

Designing the session for productivity

Driving deliberate collaboration

4Syneos Health

Understanding how we learn

Consider our natural inclinationsmdashand limitations

The human attention span is severely limited in any given day we receive 11 million bits of data per secondmdashbut we can only process 50 bits per second This has dramatic implications with regard to actively engaging someone for a meaningful duration of time

As the volume of digital content increases ndash especially considering global work-from-home policies ndash our consumption of it simply cannot keep up We are already overwhelmed And sitting in video conference after video conference further diminishes our focus energy and ability to collaborate This is important because the primary way in which we learn is from other people As such virtual meetings must be retooled to create an experience that will do two things

Visual learners are 35 likelier than average to gain better productivityfocus when working remotely

Auditory and physical learners are 22 more likely than average to work remotely to minimize stress

Men are 35 more likely than women to be physical learners

Women are 26 more likely than men to be verbal learners

Facilitate deep processingWhen behavioral scientists talk about different ldquodepthsrdquo of information processing the biggest difference is ease of recall The deeper the processing the better someone will remember that information What follows are some best practices for promoting deep processing in order to ensure people learn from one another during virtual collaborations

bull Elaborate on every concept presented especially on how it relates to other concepts already shared

bull Distinguish every concept from others already shared

bull Relate each concept to peoplersquos own personal experience

bull Clarify how this concept is to be applied in a teamrsquos work

Allow for hands-on practiceA proliferation of virtual collaborationprograms has made it easier than ever not just to engage people remotely but also to ensure their active participation Tools like Miro Mentimeter and others enable people to write draw vote and more with their contributions automatically shared with all attendees in real time These hands-on activities show whole teams what an individual member is thinking and help us work within the limits of our attention spans So people can learn from one another no matter their opinion of the backdrop in someone elsersquos video

2Syneos Health

2

The ability to connect and collaborate digitally has never been more critical than it is at this moment Business as we know it has been drastically interrupted But organizations must press onward to make good on commitments to the patients stakeholders and shareholders they serve Achieving success in the current global context now hinges on ldquothe virtual meetingrdquo ndash the most important method for teams to stay connected troubleshoot and drive results While this new no-travel era is an interruption for many organizations itrsquos status quo for first-mover companies whose business models depend on virtual operations

As we can see geographic dispersion and digital collaboration are trends that have been in motion for some time current circumstances have forced these ways of working into mass adoption The good news we can glean best practices for virtual collaboration from companiesmdashin and out of healthcaremdashthat have already experimented and seen success

70 of Americans work remotely in some capacity Gallup research has found that this has been steadily increasing over the course of the decade

89 of virtual teams typically include at least two culturesAs cultures interpret ldquocollaborationrdquo differently virtual teams must create a shared understanding of what this looks like

31 of teams are entirely virtual Most companies using virtual teams however employ a hybrid arrangement of some kind

48 of remote workers never meet their team members in personThe decline in face-to-face meetings continues

16 of global companies are fully remote All employees work from workspaces their homes or wherever they choose

71 of virtual workers reported being happy in their work Compared to 55 of their co-located counterparts

Our Virtual Reality3

Ensuring that virtual meetings add value and velocity

This is about more than just using virtual platforms as a stand-in for face-to-face meetings This is about changing the way we collaborate Virtual collaboration has been the fabric of success in the startup community nimble small businesses and many high-performing global teams These newer (to most) virtual ways of working will not disappear once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted An evolved reality is here appropriately leveraging virtual techniques is the new way we collaborate

Doing so successfully comes down to nailing three factors

ldquoThis concept is similar tordquo

GIF

ldquoMic checkrdquo

ldquoOne more thoughtrdquo

J

C

BL

A

D

MK

ldquoThis concept is similar tordquo

GIF

ldquoMic checkrdquo

ldquoOne more thoughtrdquo

J

C

BL

A

D

MK

ldquoThis concept is similar tordquo

GIF

ldquoMic checkrdquo

ldquoOne more thoughtrdquo

J

C

BL

A

D

MK

Understanding how we learn

Designing the session for productivity

Driving deliberate collaboration

4Syneos Health

Understanding how we learn

Consider our natural inclinationsmdashand limitations

The human attention span is severely limited in any given day we receive 11 million bits of data per secondmdashbut we can only process 50 bits per second This has dramatic implications with regard to actively engaging someone for a meaningful duration of time

As the volume of digital content increases ndash especially considering global work-from-home policies ndash our consumption of it simply cannot keep up We are already overwhelmed And sitting in video conference after video conference further diminishes our focus energy and ability to collaborate This is important because the primary way in which we learn is from other people As such virtual meetings must be retooled to create an experience that will do two things

Visual learners are 35 likelier than average to gain better productivityfocus when working remotely

Auditory and physical learners are 22 more likely than average to work remotely to minimize stress

Men are 35 more likely than women to be physical learners

Women are 26 more likely than men to be verbal learners

Facilitate deep processingWhen behavioral scientists talk about different ldquodepthsrdquo of information processing the biggest difference is ease of recall The deeper the processing the better someone will remember that information What follows are some best practices for promoting deep processing in order to ensure people learn from one another during virtual collaborations

bull Elaborate on every concept presented especially on how it relates to other concepts already shared

bull Distinguish every concept from others already shared

bull Relate each concept to peoplersquos own personal experience

bull Clarify how this concept is to be applied in a teamrsquos work

Allow for hands-on practiceA proliferation of virtual collaborationprograms has made it easier than ever not just to engage people remotely but also to ensure their active participation Tools like Miro Mentimeter and others enable people to write draw vote and more with their contributions automatically shared with all attendees in real time These hands-on activities show whole teams what an individual member is thinking and help us work within the limits of our attention spans So people can learn from one another no matter their opinion of the backdrop in someone elsersquos video

Our Virtual Reality3

Ensuring that virtual meetings add value and velocity

This is about more than just using virtual platforms as a stand-in for face-to-face meetings This is about changing the way we collaborate Virtual collaboration has been the fabric of success in the startup community nimble small businesses and many high-performing global teams These newer (to most) virtual ways of working will not disappear once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted An evolved reality is here appropriately leveraging virtual techniques is the new way we collaborate

Doing so successfully comes down to nailing three factors

ldquoThis concept is similar tordquo

GIF

ldquoMic checkrdquo

ldquoOne more thoughtrdquo

J

C

BL

A

D

MK

ldquoThis concept is similar tordquo

GIF

ldquoMic checkrdquo

ldquoOne more thoughtrdquo

J

C

BL

A

D

MK

ldquoThis concept is similar tordquo

GIF

ldquoMic checkrdquo

ldquoOne more thoughtrdquo

J

C

BL

A

D

MK

Understanding how we learn

Designing the session for productivity

Driving deliberate collaboration

4Syneos Health

Understanding how we learn

Consider our natural inclinationsmdashand limitations

The human attention span is severely limited in any given day we receive 11 million bits of data per secondmdashbut we can only process 50 bits per second This has dramatic implications with regard to actively engaging someone for a meaningful duration of time

As the volume of digital content increases ndash especially considering global work-from-home policies ndash our consumption of it simply cannot keep up We are already overwhelmed And sitting in video conference after video conference further diminishes our focus energy and ability to collaborate This is important because the primary way in which we learn is from other people As such virtual meetings must be retooled to create an experience that will do two things

Visual learners are 35 likelier than average to gain better productivityfocus when working remotely

Auditory and physical learners are 22 more likely than average to work remotely to minimize stress

Men are 35 more likely than women to be physical learners

Women are 26 more likely than men to be verbal learners

Facilitate deep processingWhen behavioral scientists talk about different ldquodepthsrdquo of information processing the biggest difference is ease of recall The deeper the processing the better someone will remember that information What follows are some best practices for promoting deep processing in order to ensure people learn from one another during virtual collaborations

bull Elaborate on every concept presented especially on how it relates to other concepts already shared

bull Distinguish every concept from others already shared

bull Relate each concept to peoplersquos own personal experience

bull Clarify how this concept is to be applied in a teamrsquos work

Allow for hands-on practiceA proliferation of virtual collaborationprograms has made it easier than ever not just to engage people remotely but also to ensure their active participation Tools like Miro Mentimeter and others enable people to write draw vote and more with their contributions automatically shared with all attendees in real time These hands-on activities show whole teams what an individual member is thinking and help us work within the limits of our attention spans So people can learn from one another no matter their opinion of the backdrop in someone elsersquos video

4Syneos Health

Understanding how we learn

Consider our natural inclinationsmdashand limitations

The human attention span is severely limited in any given day we receive 11 million bits of data per secondmdashbut we can only process 50 bits per second This has dramatic implications with regard to actively engaging someone for a meaningful duration of time

As the volume of digital content increases ndash especially considering global work-from-home policies ndash our consumption of it simply cannot keep up We are already overwhelmed And sitting in video conference after video conference further diminishes our focus energy and ability to collaborate This is important because the primary way in which we learn is from other people As such virtual meetings must be retooled to create an experience that will do two things

Visual learners are 35 likelier than average to gain better productivityfocus when working remotely

Auditory and physical learners are 22 more likely than average to work remotely to minimize stress

Men are 35 more likely than women to be physical learners

Women are 26 more likely than men to be verbal learners

Facilitate deep processingWhen behavioral scientists talk about different ldquodepthsrdquo of information processing the biggest difference is ease of recall The deeper the processing the better someone will remember that information What follows are some best practices for promoting deep processing in order to ensure people learn from one another during virtual collaborations

bull Elaborate on every concept presented especially on how it relates to other concepts already shared

bull Distinguish every concept from others already shared

bull Relate each concept to peoplersquos own personal experience

bull Clarify how this concept is to be applied in a teamrsquos work

Allow for hands-on practiceA proliferation of virtual collaborationprograms has made it easier than ever not just to engage people remotely but also to ensure their active participation Tools like Miro Mentimeter and others enable people to write draw vote and more with their contributions automatically shared with all attendees in real time These hands-on activities show whole teams what an individual member is thinking and help us work within the limits of our attention spans So people can learn from one another no matter their opinion of the backdrop in someone elsersquos video

Our Virtual Reality5

Foundation Every member of your team should be encouraged to test their equipment and speed before the call People tend to be just as busy and pressed for time while working from home and 15 minutes lost at the start of a meeting due to arcane connection issues can lead to racing through the actual content of the meeting and poor retention down the line

Additionally two foundational rules are important for all participants to accept The first is that they must use the video function This means they may have to test their angles adjust their lighting and refrain from activities such as blatant multi-tasking (or in the era of COVID-19 touching their face) Whatever they must do to feel most comfortable and confident being seen shouldnrsquot be an afterthought The second rule may ruffle some feathers considering common virtual habits unless itrsquos necessary nobody should be on mute Self-muting discourages participation as the mere effort required to unmute will keep even some engaged team members silent the whole time

Procedure Disseminating guidelines to your team about virtual etiquette will make a world of differencemdashnot just in the look and feel of your meetings but in their productivity Tell your teams to dedicate space Somewhere free from leaning towers of laundry or attention-starved puppies

Once yoursquove set the scene itrsquos important to attend to self-presentation Basically dress for the job you have Even if itrsquos remote Team members should be encouraged to dress for work in order to help build a professional virtual environment And speaking of the job you have it can be very helpful to make sure everyone knows what their job is for a given meeting Take notes Control the slides Ask questions about the presentation Itrsquos helpful to assign responsibilities that keep people engaged throughout Another core element of this is alignment in advance about the meetingrsquos goals Include specific meeting objectives in the calendar invite to sharpen focus and heighten efficiency And no matter the goals starting each meeting with casual conversation will help build rapport and afford people the feel of an office replete with virtual watercooler

Designing for session productivity

Ensure you create the right structure and format to drive results

A number of design elements will ensure you have both a solid foundation for success and an optimal procedure in place to achieve it The details that make for the most productive meetings are often small but especially for those new to virtual collaboration elusive or easy to forget These considerations help promote virtual meetings with focus and rigor that match those of your collaborations in person

6Syneos Health

Next Steps

There might be an inclination among some of your remote teammates to show up to a virtual meeting and then power off until the next one You can promote dutiful work from home even when the webcam light is offmdashwith the right follow-up Via email or your teamrsquos preferred mode of contact summarize the meeting distill next steps identify the required deliverables and when theyrsquore due and if possible say when the next meeting will take place Though these are best practices for any kind of collaboration theyrsquore particularly impactful in remote settings as they become core to a personrsquos day-to-day structure In a follow-up requesting feedback can be a game-changer Ask what aspects of the virtual meeting were unintuitive challenging or uncomfortable for anyone Invite all participants to share their thoughts We know that everybody learns differently so getting honest feedback can make all the difference in terms of optimizing virtual collaboration for your teamrsquos needs

Equally important is using the right framework for an agenda that will maximize session utility

VirtualAll facilitators and participants are geographically dispersed and using digital platforms to access content share ideas and collaborate

HybridThe Virtual model with pre-recorded or curated content (eg video lightening talks) to bring in the voice of the customer expert perspectives etc

LiveDigital collaboration happens in real time

AsynchronousDigital collaboration happens either partially or entirely on contributorsrsquo own timetable

Best for group read-outs of important information or data aligning stakeholders generating new ideas

Do it well by using pre-work tapping facilitators well-versed in digital collaboration methods

Best for crowd-sourcing independent inputs in advance of a larger live session

Do it well by tailoring activities to the specific inputs needed from various experts and stakeholders

Best for sessions that require research or data read-outs upon which the larger group will then ideate

Do it well by giving experts specific guidelines for their content contributions testing (and re-testing) technology

Best for collaborations where all participants need to have a baseline understanding in advance of the session

Do it well by packaging multiple content types for scanning and for different ways of consuming information

Our Virtual Reality7

Donrsquot overlook pre-work Itrsquos a crime not to prime Short straightforward and engaging pre-work has several benefits especially for digital collaboration starting the session with a shared understanding optimizing productivity and formulating thoughts before the meeting

Recruit interdisciplinary groups Our best collaboration experiencesmdashboth in-person and virtualmdashhave included a deliberate collision of expertise from across stakeholder groups So bring along the naysayers and cheerleaders alike to create richer solutions

Level the playing field All tools and exercise dynamics should create an atmosphere in which each and every person on the video conference can contribute Start by picking the right mix of tech and platforms to maximize participation

Foster connection and trust As human beings we rely on multiple senses and forms of expression in our interpersonal communication When deprived of some of that sensory input and forms of expression we must compensate Dedicate time in your agenda to amplify connections by opening with an ice-breaker playing music during an activity or inviting participants to weigh in through voting chat or shared online white-boarding

Create engagement moments Active participation during meetings may be awkward for some team members but effective teams manifest regular participation by all members Leaders can help everyone contribute by soliciting opinions and polling participants even pre- or post-meeting if necessary

Driving deliberate collaborationEarn engagement fuel prioritization and ensure alignment

Even though technology makes it easy for global meetings to take place that does not mean that global meetings will generate useful results Follow these guiding principles to ensure success

8Syneos Health

Donrsquot reschedule important collaborations Retool them

Live co-work sessions rapidly fuel ideas and alignment Retool them for a non-travel era with facilitation and tools created specifically to optimize virtual workshops and meetings

Ad HocQuickly overcome physical working constraints

bull Live in 24 hours

bull Up to 12 members

bull Asynchronous collaboration from geographically-dispersed teams

Real-time insights amp read-out

Deep DiveTopic immersion + hypothesis generation on a challenge

bull Live in 3-5 business days

bull Up to 20 members

bull Real-time insights from a panel of experts in Innovation Trends

Digital Experience PatientCaregiver amp Behavioral Science

Read-out Report in 1-2 weeks

Co-CreateSurface and prioritize big new ideas

bull Live in 2 ndash 3 weeks

bull Tailored session for up to 30 members

bull Dynamic content (eg) asynchronous pre-work video lightning talks

journey and friction exercises digital workbooks

Read-out Report in 2-3 weeks

Our Virtual Reality9

Summary

The trend toward virtual teams has reached new heights in the current

moment But in spite of their new ubiquity therersquos often a tendency

to take or at least regard virtual collaborations less seriously leading to

suboptimal results And much of the time thatrsquos totally understandable

Because as people adapt to our new reality there are many obstacles

that are easy to take for granted

But perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind for making

productive virtual collaborations is thatmdashno matter their location or

pixilationmdashyoursquore still working with other human beings And as

human beings wersquore all bringing our own strengths and weaknesses

to the table or group chat or video conference Same as always

Our numerous tools enable us to continue our work bringing

life-saving therapies to patients suffering from a whole spectrum

of diseases The time is ripe to ensure your and your teamrsquos comfort

and facility with virtual tools and use them to design virtual

engagements optimized for your team and providing the structure

you need to succeed Wersquove never been better equipped to handle

a moment like this

Sources ldquoAmericarsquos Coming Work Place Home Alonerdquo Gallup March 2017

ldquoState of Remote Workrdquo Buffer 2019

ldquoState of Remote Workrdquo Owl Labs 2018

ldquoSix Virtual Team Statistics You Should Knowrdquo Business 2 Community November 2019

ldquo2018 Trends in High-Performing Global Virtual Teamsrdquo CultureWizard 2018

6Syneos Health

Next Steps

There might be an inclination among some of your remote teammates to show up to a virtual meeting and then power off until the next one You can promote dutiful work from home even when the webcam light is offmdashwith the right follow-up Via email or your teamrsquos preferred mode of contact summarize the meeting distill next steps identify the required deliverables and when theyrsquore due and if possible say when the next meeting will take place Though these are best practices for any kind of collaboration theyrsquore particularly impactful in remote settings as they become core to a personrsquos day-to-day structure In a follow-up requesting feedback can be a game-changer Ask what aspects of the virtual meeting were unintuitive challenging or uncomfortable for anyone Invite all participants to share their thoughts We know that everybody learns differently so getting honest feedback can make all the difference in terms of optimizing virtual collaboration for your teamrsquos needs

Equally important is using the right framework for an agenda that will maximize session utility

VirtualAll facilitators and participants are geographically dispersed and using digital platforms to access content share ideas and collaborate

HybridThe Virtual model with pre-recorded or curated content (eg video lightening talks) to bring in the voice of the customer expert perspectives etc

LiveDigital collaboration happens in real time

AsynchronousDigital collaboration happens either partially or entirely on contributorsrsquo own timetable

Best for group read-outs of important information or data aligning stakeholders generating new ideas

Do it well by using pre-work tapping facilitators well-versed in digital collaboration methods

Best for crowd-sourcing independent inputs in advance of a larger live session

Do it well by tailoring activities to the specific inputs needed from various experts and stakeholders

Best for sessions that require research or data read-outs upon which the larger group will then ideate

Do it well by giving experts specific guidelines for their content contributions testing (and re-testing) technology

Best for collaborations where all participants need to have a baseline understanding in advance of the session

Do it well by packaging multiple content types for scanning and for different ways of consuming information

Our Virtual Reality7

Donrsquot overlook pre-work Itrsquos a crime not to prime Short straightforward and engaging pre-work has several benefits especially for digital collaboration starting the session with a shared understanding optimizing productivity and formulating thoughts before the meeting

Recruit interdisciplinary groups Our best collaboration experiencesmdashboth in-person and virtualmdashhave included a deliberate collision of expertise from across stakeholder groups So bring along the naysayers and cheerleaders alike to create richer solutions

Level the playing field All tools and exercise dynamics should create an atmosphere in which each and every person on the video conference can contribute Start by picking the right mix of tech and platforms to maximize participation

Foster connection and trust As human beings we rely on multiple senses and forms of expression in our interpersonal communication When deprived of some of that sensory input and forms of expression we must compensate Dedicate time in your agenda to amplify connections by opening with an ice-breaker playing music during an activity or inviting participants to weigh in through voting chat or shared online white-boarding

Create engagement moments Active participation during meetings may be awkward for some team members but effective teams manifest regular participation by all members Leaders can help everyone contribute by soliciting opinions and polling participants even pre- or post-meeting if necessary

Driving deliberate collaborationEarn engagement fuel prioritization and ensure alignment

Even though technology makes it easy for global meetings to take place that does not mean that global meetings will generate useful results Follow these guiding principles to ensure success

8Syneos Health

Donrsquot reschedule important collaborations Retool them

Live co-work sessions rapidly fuel ideas and alignment Retool them for a non-travel era with facilitation and tools created specifically to optimize virtual workshops and meetings

Ad HocQuickly overcome physical working constraints

bull Live in 24 hours

bull Up to 12 members

bull Asynchronous collaboration from geographically-dispersed teams

Real-time insights amp read-out

Deep DiveTopic immersion + hypothesis generation on a challenge

bull Live in 3-5 business days

bull Up to 20 members

bull Real-time insights from a panel of experts in Innovation Trends

Digital Experience PatientCaregiver amp Behavioral Science

Read-out Report in 1-2 weeks

Co-CreateSurface and prioritize big new ideas

bull Live in 2 ndash 3 weeks

bull Tailored session for up to 30 members

bull Dynamic content (eg) asynchronous pre-work video lightning talks

journey and friction exercises digital workbooks

Read-out Report in 2-3 weeks

Our Virtual Reality9

Summary

The trend toward virtual teams has reached new heights in the current

moment But in spite of their new ubiquity therersquos often a tendency

to take or at least regard virtual collaborations less seriously leading to

suboptimal results And much of the time thatrsquos totally understandable

Because as people adapt to our new reality there are many obstacles

that are easy to take for granted

But perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind for making

productive virtual collaborations is thatmdashno matter their location or

pixilationmdashyoursquore still working with other human beings And as

human beings wersquore all bringing our own strengths and weaknesses

to the table or group chat or video conference Same as always

Our numerous tools enable us to continue our work bringing

life-saving therapies to patients suffering from a whole spectrum

of diseases The time is ripe to ensure your and your teamrsquos comfort

and facility with virtual tools and use them to design virtual

engagements optimized for your team and providing the structure

you need to succeed Wersquove never been better equipped to handle

a moment like this

Sources ldquoAmericarsquos Coming Work Place Home Alonerdquo Gallup March 2017

ldquoState of Remote Workrdquo Buffer 2019

ldquoState of Remote Workrdquo Owl Labs 2018

ldquoSix Virtual Team Statistics You Should Knowrdquo Business 2 Community November 2019

ldquo2018 Trends in High-Performing Global Virtual Teamsrdquo CultureWizard 2018

Our Virtual Reality7

Donrsquot overlook pre-work Itrsquos a crime not to prime Short straightforward and engaging pre-work has several benefits especially for digital collaboration starting the session with a shared understanding optimizing productivity and formulating thoughts before the meeting

Recruit interdisciplinary groups Our best collaboration experiencesmdashboth in-person and virtualmdashhave included a deliberate collision of expertise from across stakeholder groups So bring along the naysayers and cheerleaders alike to create richer solutions

Level the playing field All tools and exercise dynamics should create an atmosphere in which each and every person on the video conference can contribute Start by picking the right mix of tech and platforms to maximize participation

Foster connection and trust As human beings we rely on multiple senses and forms of expression in our interpersonal communication When deprived of some of that sensory input and forms of expression we must compensate Dedicate time in your agenda to amplify connections by opening with an ice-breaker playing music during an activity or inviting participants to weigh in through voting chat or shared online white-boarding

Create engagement moments Active participation during meetings may be awkward for some team members but effective teams manifest regular participation by all members Leaders can help everyone contribute by soliciting opinions and polling participants even pre- or post-meeting if necessary

Driving deliberate collaborationEarn engagement fuel prioritization and ensure alignment

Even though technology makes it easy for global meetings to take place that does not mean that global meetings will generate useful results Follow these guiding principles to ensure success

8Syneos Health

Donrsquot reschedule important collaborations Retool them

Live co-work sessions rapidly fuel ideas and alignment Retool them for a non-travel era with facilitation and tools created specifically to optimize virtual workshops and meetings

Ad HocQuickly overcome physical working constraints

bull Live in 24 hours

bull Up to 12 members

bull Asynchronous collaboration from geographically-dispersed teams

Real-time insights amp read-out

Deep DiveTopic immersion + hypothesis generation on a challenge

bull Live in 3-5 business days

bull Up to 20 members

bull Real-time insights from a panel of experts in Innovation Trends

Digital Experience PatientCaregiver amp Behavioral Science

Read-out Report in 1-2 weeks

Co-CreateSurface and prioritize big new ideas

bull Live in 2 ndash 3 weeks

bull Tailored session for up to 30 members

bull Dynamic content (eg) asynchronous pre-work video lightning talks

journey and friction exercises digital workbooks

Read-out Report in 2-3 weeks

Our Virtual Reality9

Summary

The trend toward virtual teams has reached new heights in the current

moment But in spite of their new ubiquity therersquos often a tendency

to take or at least regard virtual collaborations less seriously leading to

suboptimal results And much of the time thatrsquos totally understandable

Because as people adapt to our new reality there are many obstacles

that are easy to take for granted

But perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind for making

productive virtual collaborations is thatmdashno matter their location or

pixilationmdashyoursquore still working with other human beings And as

human beings wersquore all bringing our own strengths and weaknesses

to the table or group chat or video conference Same as always

Our numerous tools enable us to continue our work bringing

life-saving therapies to patients suffering from a whole spectrum

of diseases The time is ripe to ensure your and your teamrsquos comfort

and facility with virtual tools and use them to design virtual

engagements optimized for your team and providing the structure

you need to succeed Wersquove never been better equipped to handle

a moment like this

Sources ldquoAmericarsquos Coming Work Place Home Alonerdquo Gallup March 2017

ldquoState of Remote Workrdquo Buffer 2019

ldquoState of Remote Workrdquo Owl Labs 2018

ldquoSix Virtual Team Statistics You Should Knowrdquo Business 2 Community November 2019

ldquo2018 Trends in High-Performing Global Virtual Teamsrdquo CultureWizard 2018

8Syneos Health

Donrsquot reschedule important collaborations Retool them

Live co-work sessions rapidly fuel ideas and alignment Retool them for a non-travel era with facilitation and tools created specifically to optimize virtual workshops and meetings

Ad HocQuickly overcome physical working constraints

bull Live in 24 hours

bull Up to 12 members

bull Asynchronous collaboration from geographically-dispersed teams

Real-time insights amp read-out

Deep DiveTopic immersion + hypothesis generation on a challenge

bull Live in 3-5 business days

bull Up to 20 members

bull Real-time insights from a panel of experts in Innovation Trends

Digital Experience PatientCaregiver amp Behavioral Science

Read-out Report in 1-2 weeks

Co-CreateSurface and prioritize big new ideas

bull Live in 2 ndash 3 weeks

bull Tailored session for up to 30 members

bull Dynamic content (eg) asynchronous pre-work video lightning talks

journey and friction exercises digital workbooks

Read-out Report in 2-3 weeks

Our Virtual Reality9

Summary

The trend toward virtual teams has reached new heights in the current

moment But in spite of their new ubiquity therersquos often a tendency

to take or at least regard virtual collaborations less seriously leading to

suboptimal results And much of the time thatrsquos totally understandable

Because as people adapt to our new reality there are many obstacles

that are easy to take for granted

But perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind for making

productive virtual collaborations is thatmdashno matter their location or

pixilationmdashyoursquore still working with other human beings And as

human beings wersquore all bringing our own strengths and weaknesses

to the table or group chat or video conference Same as always

Our numerous tools enable us to continue our work bringing

life-saving therapies to patients suffering from a whole spectrum

of diseases The time is ripe to ensure your and your teamrsquos comfort

and facility with virtual tools and use them to design virtual

engagements optimized for your team and providing the structure

you need to succeed Wersquove never been better equipped to handle

a moment like this

Sources ldquoAmericarsquos Coming Work Place Home Alonerdquo Gallup March 2017

ldquoState of Remote Workrdquo Buffer 2019

ldquoState of Remote Workrdquo Owl Labs 2018

ldquoSix Virtual Team Statistics You Should Knowrdquo Business 2 Community November 2019

ldquo2018 Trends in High-Performing Global Virtual Teamsrdquo CultureWizard 2018

Our Virtual Reality9

Summary

The trend toward virtual teams has reached new heights in the current

moment But in spite of their new ubiquity therersquos often a tendency

to take or at least regard virtual collaborations less seriously leading to

suboptimal results And much of the time thatrsquos totally understandable

Because as people adapt to our new reality there are many obstacles

that are easy to take for granted

But perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind for making

productive virtual collaborations is thatmdashno matter their location or

pixilationmdashyoursquore still working with other human beings And as

human beings wersquore all bringing our own strengths and weaknesses

to the table or group chat or video conference Same as always

Our numerous tools enable us to continue our work bringing

life-saving therapies to patients suffering from a whole spectrum

of diseases The time is ripe to ensure your and your teamrsquos comfort

and facility with virtual tools and use them to design virtual

engagements optimized for your team and providing the structure

you need to succeed Wersquove never been better equipped to handle

a moment like this

Sources ldquoAmericarsquos Coming Work Place Home Alonerdquo Gallup March 2017

ldquoState of Remote Workrdquo Buffer 2019

ldquoState of Remote Workrdquo Owl Labs 2018

ldquoSix Virtual Team Statistics You Should Knowrdquo Business 2 Community November 2019

ldquo2018 Trends in High-Performing Global Virtual Teamsrdquo CultureWizard 2018

10Syneos Health

Letrsquos build something togetherCall text email or video chat

Kathleen Starr PhD Managing Director Behavioral Insights

kathleenstarrsyneoshealthcom +1 913-530-6519

Ben Abramowitz Associate Director Innovation

benabramowitzsyneoshealthcom +1 305-608-5818

Carolyn StephensonSVP Director Insights and Innovationcarolynstephensonsyneoshealthcom

+1 614-595-9051

Drew BeckVP Director of Innovation

drewbecksyneoshealthcom +1 812-205-9299