Key Considerations and Best Practices for Virtual Facilitation

A well-trained facilitator is a crucial element for success in any learning or group process. Facilitators need to be able work from a remote location especially with the increasing number of virtual meetings and workshops. But, facilitating effectively in a virtual environment requires time and attention to the particular challenges that participants have to face. This article examines the main aspects and best practices to ensure efficient virtual facilitation virtual facilitation.

Virtual participants face a range of challenges, including the inability to discern body language and how other people react to a discussion. This can cause people to feel ostracized or their opinions dismissed, which could negatively impact the outcome a meeting. A good facilitator’s skills help to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard and that participants are involved throughout the course.

Lack of physical resources may also hinder the ability to conduct certain exercises and activities as they would be done in a live workshop. In live workshops whiteboards, flip charts posters, post-it notepads, and other visual resources are efficient. However, this could be a challenge for online workshops. Add a variety of activities to your online session, such as breakout sessions, games with an experiential element and other traditional elements, like information sharing and posing questions.