Preliminary communication
https://doi.org/10.5673/sip.59.3.2
Virtual Meetings During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Communication Patterns and Practices in Companies in Croatia
Ivan Pakozdi
orcid.org/0000-0002-8797-0645
; Edward Bernays University College, Zagreb, Croatia
Hrvoje Jakopović
orcid.org/0000-0002-9846-9952
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Political Science, Croatia
Karlo Kanajet
orcid.org/0000-0002-5894-5416
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Political Science, Croatia
Abstract
Working from a distance and virtual meetings between stakeholders in business systems have
become usual thing for many companies across the world. Speaking about maintaining continuity
of business in COVID-19 pandemic limited business circumstances, many employees
will say that virtual meetings have become crucial communication tool for conversation with
stakeholders. Nevertheless, although video conferences have been in use for the last several
decades, back in time since video conferencing systems became available for the commercial
use, one should not neglect the fact that contemporary world tracked significant rise of global
trend in video conferences and virtual meetings use just at the end of January 2020, when the
World Health Organization declared a global emergency due to COVID-19 pandemic spread.
Global trend of intensified use of virtual communication was followed by many companies
who never used this type of communication, nor anticipated the intent to make significant
transition of communication into virtual world. Therefore, the paper represents the results of
various studies concerning the influence of virtual meetings on employees. This paper explores
the significance, communication patterns and practices regarding the use of digital platforms
for maintaining virtual meetings in Croatian medium sized and large companies. A survey was
conducted with employees (N=177) in medium sized and large companies of various businesses
in Croatia. Virtual meetings in medium sized and large companies are in focus because
of the complexity of those communication systems in which the horizontal and vertical communication
is necessity. The results show which digital platforms are mostly used for virtual
meetings. Findings suggest that virtual meetings are conducted more often, but they do take
less time, and the advantage is given to notebooks as a means for organization, running and
participating in a virtual meeting.
Keywords
remote work; virtual meetings; business communication; COVID-19; medium sized and large companies
Hrčak ID:
271634
URI
Publication date:
31.1.2022.
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