A hybrid meeting is a meeting where some participants are together in the same physical room and others join remotely over video, using Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet or another platform. A virtual meeting has everyone joining from their own device, and an in-person meeting has no remote participants at all.
Hybrid vs virtual vs in-person meetings
| In-person | Virtual | Hybrid | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where people are | All in one room | Each on their own device | Some in a room, some remote |
| Equipment | None beyond a display | Laptop or phone, headset | Room camera, mics, speakers, display, plus remote devices |
| Biggest challenge | Getting everyone there | Screen fatigue, engagement | Making remote people equal participants |
| Typical uses | Workshops, interviews, social | Stand-ups, 1:1s, webinars | Team meetings, board meetings, classes, services |
Why hybrid meetings are harder
In a virtual meeting everyone has the same view and the same microphone quality. In a hybrid meeting, the people in the room can see each other's faces and side conversations, while remote people often see a wide shot of a table and hear voices fading in and out. This "two classes of attendee" problem is the main thing a hybrid meeting room has to solve.
What a hybrid meeting room needs
| Need | Equipment | Learn more |
|---|---|---|
| Remote people can see everyone | Camera with auto-framing or speaker framing; companion cameras in larger rooms | Choosing a conference room camera |
| Remote people can hear everyone | Mics within reach of every seat; echo cancellation | Conference room microphones |
| The room can hear remote people | Speakers sized to the room | Conference room speakers |
| The room can see remote people | Display at eye level, large enough to read faces | Conference room TV size |
| Starting is easy | Teams Rooms, Zoom Rooms or Meet system with a touch controller, or a one-cable BYOD setup | Teams Rooms vs BYOD |
| Everyone sees content | In-meeting screen sharing, not just HDMI to the TV | Wireless screen sharing |
For a full build-out by room size, see hybrid meeting room setup.
Tips for running a good hybrid meeting
- Share content in the meeting, not only on the room TV, so remote people see it too.
- Call on remote participants first in round-robins.
- Have in-room people join chat or whiteboards from their laptops with audio off, so they can see the same tools.
- Keep side conversations to a minimum. The mics often won't catch them clearly.
- Watch the far end. Keep remote faces on a display the room can see.
More in how to set up a hybrid meeting and video conferencing etiquette.
Turning a regular room into a hybrid room? Send us the room size and platform and we'll suggest the gear.
Related guides
- What Is Meeting Equity? Making Hybrid Meetings Fair
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- Event Venue Hybrid Conference Setup: Cameras, Audio, Streams
- Fitness Studio Hybrid Classes: Camera and Audio Setup
- Higher Education Hybrid Classroom Technology Guide
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