Managing meetings can drain time and energy, especially when you're juggling a packed schedule. Delegating meeting management tasks to a virtual assistant (VA) or remote executive assistant (EA) can free you up to focus on higher-priority responsibilities, improve productivity, and keep everyone on track. In fact, according to a report by Atlassian, employees spend an average of 31 hours per month in unproductive meetings, so efficient management is key to freeing up your time as a founder or high-level executive. This guide is part of our delegation playbook series and will walk you through the VA delegation process for meeting management, including which tasks are best suited for a virtual assistant, strategies for effective delegation, and tips for maintaining a solid track record of all your calls. If you’re ready to make meetings work for you - not against you - read on to learn how a VA can transform the way you organize your time and team by delegating meeting management!

Why Should You Delegate Meeting Management to a Virtual Assistant?

You’ll Save Time for High-Impact Tasks.

Delegating meeting management to a virtual assistant allows you to reclaim hours that would otherwise be spent on scheduling, sending reminders, and managing follow-ups. According to a Harvard Business Review study, managers spend nearly 23 hours each week in meetings - a substantial time investment that often hinders productivity. Offloading administrative meeting tasks to a VA means you can use this time for strategic planning, client relationships, or other high-value work that directly impacts your business goals.

To Improve Meeting Structure and Efficiency:

A VA can bring structure and consistency to your meetings, helping everyone stay on track and ensuring agendas are followed. Research from Lucid Meetings found that 47% of employees feel that poorly organized meetings waste time. When a VA handles agenda creation, attendee coordination, and timing, you can expect more organized sessions and higher productivity. This efficiency prevents lengthy sidetracks, making each meeting a much more valuable use of your time instead of awkward weather talk.

You’ll Maintain Seamless Coordination Across Teams:

If your business involves multiple departments or remote team members, coordinating meetings across time zones and schedules can be a logistical nightmare. A VA can take on these tasks, arranging meetings that accommodate all attendees and ensuring everyone receives timely reminders. This approach not only smooths out communication across your organization but also reduces scheduling conflicts. Delegating coordination frees you from handling endless calendar requests, leaving more time for strategic oversight.

It Will Reduce Meeting-Related Stress:

Meeting prep can be stressful—especially if you’re balancing multiple roles. A Virtual Assistant can ease this burden by handling essential prep work, like gathering materials, organizing agendas, and setting up any needed technology. Studies show that 73% of workers experience stress, often stemming from juggling multiple priorities, according to the American Institute of Stress. By entrusting a VA with these tasks, you’re minimizing stress factors and creating a streamlined process that lets you step into each meeting prepared and focused.

A VA Can Provide Consistent Follow-Ups:

The post-meeting phase is where action items often fall through the cracks. A VA can ensure tasks are documented, assigned, and followed up, so you don’t have to worry about missed deadlines or incomplete tasks. This role includes tracking action items, sending reminders, and updating project management tools to keep your team accountable. According to a Salesforce study, consistent follow-ups can increase productivity by as much as 30%. Delegating this responsibility to a VA helps sustain progress between meetings and boosts overall team effectiveness.

To Enhance Professionalism and Client Relations:

When your VA manages meetings with clients, you project a polished, professional image that strengthens client relationships. A VA can ensure all materials are sent beforehand, meeting links are set up, and follow-ups are handled promptly. This organized approach builds credibility and fosters trust, as clients experience seamless communication and attentive service. By entrusting these tasks to a VA, you can focus on the bigger picture - delivering value to clients without being distracted by logistical details or letting relations fall through the cracks.

Tasks to Delegate for Effective Meeting Management

1. Scheduling and Coordinating:

Scheduling is a time-consuming part of meeting management, especially when multiple calendars or time zones are involved. Assigning calendar tasks to a VA means they can handle back-and-forth coordination, find suitable time slots, and send invites - all without needing your intervention. They can also manage last-minute rescheduling requests, cancellations, or updates, saving you from the hassle of rearranging details. Research from Doodle shows that professionals spend around 4.8 hours weekly coordinating meetings, a task that a VA can efficiently take off your plate.

2. Sending Reminders and Updates:

One of the easiest ways to ensure full participation is by having a VA send timely reminders to attendees. Reminders can be scheduled to go out a day before or an hour before the meeting, depending on its importance and participants’ preferences. Your VA can also handle follow-up messages if additional information or prep work is needed. According to a study by Microsoft, teams that receive reminders are more likely to attend and actively participate, showing that this simple task can improve engagement significantly.

3. Setting Up and Testing Technology:

A smooth virtual meeting often depends on a reliable tech setup, and your VA can ensure everything is ready to go. This includes setting up video conferencing links, testing audio and video settings, and troubleshooting any issues before the meeting starts. If your VA manages this technical setup, you’re freed from handling last-minute issues that can derail the start of a meeting. With 79% of remote workers citing technical issues as a barrier to productivity, according to a report from Buffer’s State of Remote Work, having your VA streamline the tech setup can make meetings more efficient and less frustrating.

3. Note-Taking and Documentation:

Your VA can also take notes, ensuring key points and action items are accurately documented for later review. This task can significantly enhance productivity, as clear documentation is essential for follow-through. Studies by Project. co show that 52% of employees report productivity gains from well-documented meetings. Your VA can manage note-taking, organize them into actionable steps, and distribute them to attendees, creating a streamlined system for accountability and tracking.

4. Post-Meeting Follow-Ups:

Follow-ups are crucial for maintaining momentum, and a VA can handle them seamlessly. This includes sending summaries, reminding team members of their action items, and updating project management tools with assigned tasks. Research from Salesforce indicates that consistent follow-up after meetings can boost productivity by as much as 30%. By delegating follow-ups, you ensure that no task falls through the cracks and that everyone remains accountable to agreed-upon deadlines.

5. Managing Attendee Feedback:

Finally, it’s a great idea to delegate attendee feedback collection to your VA. After important meetings, gathering feedback on what worked and what didn’t can provide valuable insights for future improvements. Your VA can send feedback forms, compile responses, and provide a summary report. Having your VA manage this task allows you to gain useful insights without spending your own time on logistics, and, according to recent data from Gallup, teams that regularly receive and act on feedback perform 12% better.

Pre-Meeting Preparation Strategies To Work on With Your VA

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It’s best if you have an idea of how to structure your VA’s meeting-related tasks to ensure a successful engagement. Here’s a quick framework to provide to your virtual assistant when delegating meeting management:

1. Confirming Attendee Availability:

One of the first steps a virtual assistant (VA) should take is confirming attendee availability. This process ensures that key participants are present and avoids the hassle of last-minute cancellations or reschedules. A VA can coordinate across different time zones, manage any scheduling conflicts, and finalize a time that suits all relevant parties. Research from Doodle shows that 71% of professionals find coordinating calendars to be one of the biggest time drains in meeting preparation. By proactively handling this task, a VA keeps things on track and maximizes attendance.

2. Preparing and Distributing Agendas:

A clear agenda is essential for an efficient meeting, and a virtual assistant can take charge of creating and distributing it in advance. The agenda should outline key discussion points, set time allocations for each topic, and clarify any preparatory work needed from participants. According to Lucid Meetings, having a structured agenda can increase meeting efficiency by up to 50%. A VA ensures every participant is prepared, fostering a focused discussion that stays on topic.

3. Gathering Background Information and Materials:

Providing participants with the necessary context and materials is crucial to a productive meeting. A meeting management VA can compile relevant documents, such as previous meeting notes, reports, or data presentations, and share them beforehand. This step minimizes the need to put any stakeholders up to speed during the meeting and keeps discussions productive. Harvard Business Review highlights that employees who review materials beforehand are more likely to contribute meaningfully, making this preparation an effective way to increase engagement.

4. Setting Up Any Tech Logistics:

Handling technology setup is another critical task in pre-meeting preparation. A VA can ensure that all links to video conferencing platforms, file-sharing systems, and any required software are set up and functional before the meeting begins. Additionally, they can run tech checks for audio, video, and screen-sharing functions to ensure smooth performance. According to Buffer’s State of Remote Work report, 41% of remote workers find tech issues to be a common meeting disruption. Having a VA proactively handle this setup minimizes disruptions, helping the meeting to start on time and run smoothly.

5. Preparing Attendee Briefs:

If a meeting involves high-priority discussions, a VA can prepare attendee briefs to ensure everyone arrives informed. These briefs might include background on agenda items, summaries of prior decisions, or relevant industry data. With these targeted insights, participants are better equipped to contribute to strategic conversations. A report from Project. co found that pre-meeting briefs can lead to a 34% increase in participant engagement. A VA’s work in creating briefs can therefore elevate the quality of contributions and focus during discussions.

6. Sending Reminder Notifications:

To reduce the likelihood of no-shows or late arrivals, a VA should send out reminder notifications. These reminders can go out a day before and an hour before the meeting, depending on its importance and the preferences of attendees. Timely reminders improve attendance rates and prepare participants to join on time, so be sure to talk this over with your virtual assistant before you start delegating meeting management to them.

Ready To Hire a Virtual Assistant and Start Delegating Meeting Management?

Mastering how to efficiently delegate meeting management can transform the way you do business, ensuring that every minute you spend on a call drives actionable outcomes - without having to worry about logistics. Passing all meeting coordination tasks over to a skilled virtual assistant not only saves time but also has the potential to improve your client relations and team dynamics.

Our mission at A Team Overseas is to offer affordable services that match companies with qualified remote executive assistants, ensuring that you hire the right talent at the right cost. From screening to onboarding, every step of our procedure is made to find your dream virtual assistant without adding to your workload. Are you ready to find the ideal meeting management assistant? We invite you to get in touch with us today to arrange a free consultation and learn more about how we can help you hire an EA and start delegating meeting management!

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