Why I Still Love In-Person Meetings (And You Might, Too)

Okay, I get it – saying I love in-person meetings might be a bit of a controversial take. Virtual meetings have become the norm, and for good reason. They’re flexible and inclusive, and they let us join from the comfort of our homes (or a local coffee shop). They powered us through a pandemic. But as much as I value remote work, I still enjoy in-person meetings; they’ve been on my mind recently, alongside some recent opportunities to collaborate in person with clients and team members. There’s something about gathering in the same space that adds energy and connection to the work. This is why Viget prioritizes company-wide in-person meetups through our TTTs—they provide an invaluable touchpoint to collaborate and connect.

I’m also lucky to live near one of our Viget offices (HQ!), where we host in-person meetings for clients or when Viget co-workers visit from out of town. And it’s not just about the logistics—it’s about the vibe. Our offices are fun, dynamic spaces that showcase our culture and give clients (and us) a chance to experience what it’s like to collaborate in person. Again—this is important to me. I love working in a hybrid world, but when I’ve had the opportunity to work with clients face-to-face, even for a single meeting, the relationships and project work have always had a deeper connection. Here’s why I think that’s the case.

Building Face-to-Face Connections

In-person meetings allow you to connect on a more human level without the window of technology sitting between you and everyone else. Whether chatting about weekend plans, sharing a laugh, or simply getting a sense of someone’s energy, face-to-face time builds relationships in a way that virtual meetings can’t quite match. For me, projects where I’ve had the chance to meet a client in person offer more opportunities to establish rapport and trust. That trust is often carried throughout the entire collaboration.

Reading the Room

Body language is powerful. When communicating with someone, we are constantly scanning for verbal and nonverbal cues, with body language playing a significant role in the exchange. Cues like facial expressions, eye contact, posture, and gestures help you understand how people are feeling and allow you to adjust in real time. In person, you can tell when something is clicking—or, more importantly, when it isn’t.

These communication cues are often stripped away in virtual meetings, where limited visibility of a participant’s face, over-reliance on audio cues, or a bad internet connection can create barriers to connection. In-person meetings give you the full picture, making it easier to align and collaborate effectively.

The Tactile Advantage

Some work just thrives in a hands-on environment. Workshops and discovery sessions, for example, come to life in an in-person setting where brainstorming with sticky notes, sketching ideas on a whiteboard, or pointing to concepts in real time feels far more engaging than navigating a virtual collaboration tool. Don’t get me wrong—tools like FigJam and Whimsical are invaluable for remote work, especially across time zones, and excel in tasks like design iterations, project planning, and development workflows.

But there’s an energy to tackling a problem together in the same room that’s hard to replicate. For me, this kind of tactile collaboration sparks creativity and engagement in ways digital tools simply can’t match. Whether moving sticky notes around or sketching ideas side by side, being physically present often makes these tasks faster, more dynamic, and ultimately more productive.

Showing Off Your Culture

In-person meetings also let culture shine. They’re a chance to give the people you’re working with a fuller picture of who you are as an individual and organization. Beyond working-level teams, meeting at offices or coffee shops allows you to better understand the people you’re collaborating with and see firsthand how they work. These moments showcase what makes a team or company unique and create stronger, more meaningful relationships.

Making the Effort Count

In-person meetings bring a sense of significance and focus, creating a unique energy that’s hard to replicate virtually. When everyone makes an effort to gather in a shared location, it elevates the moment's importance and fosters deeper engagement. Project kickoffs, milestone reviews, workshops, and launches are ideal opportunities to bring people together. Whether a project spans one month or nine, these moments often thrive on the energy, collaboration, and connection that come from being in the same room. And let’s be honest—they’re also more fun! A little fun can go a long way in building excitement and momentum for a project.

An Important Note on Fostering Inclusion and Diversity

With all said, I also know that in-person meetings aren’t always the best option for fostering collaboration, depending on how individuals bring themselves to their work. Not everyone approaches work the same way, and our differences—whether they stem from neurodivergence, cultural norms, physical accessibility, or comfort levels—affect how we show up to work.

It’s essential to ensure that in-person meetings are structured to be inclusive and accessible. Clear agendas, opportunities to contribute asynchronously, and hybrid options can help ensure everyone feels empowered to participate. By intentionally designing meetings to account for diversity, we can create spaces where everyone’s strengths are valued—whether they thrive in face-to-face environments or prefer other forms of collaboration.

What Do You Think?

I appreciate the balance and flexibility that remote work provides, but I do think there’s value in finding opportunities—when it makes sense—to have a bit more in-person meeting time with the people we work with.

The people you’re working with internally and externally become a large part of your working life. Strong relationships can help facilitate a positive experience beyond just getting the work done. Now it’s your turn: how do you feel about in-person meetings? Do you think they’re worth the effort, or do you prefer the flexibility of virtual? I’d love to hear your thoughts—let’s keep the conversation going!