Welcoming Latecomers#

Tags welcome latecomers facilitation production zoom participant experience session flow inclusivity

Short Description#

Ensuring a smooth and welcoming experience for participants who arrive late to a Better Conversations session.

Also Known As#

Welcoming Late Arrivals, Minimizing Disruption, Graceful Integration

Context#

This applies to all Better Conversations course deliveries.

Problem#

How to integrate participants who arrive late without disrupting the flow for those who arrived on time.

Forces#

  • Respect for On-Time Participants

  • Welcoming Environment

  • Maintaining Session Flow

Solution#

  1. Producer Greeting: The producer privately welcomes latecomers via chat, acknowledging their arrival and providing brief instructions on how to catch up (e.g., “Welcome! We’ve just started the [activity]. You can find the materials in the chat.”).

  2. Brief Facilitator Acknowledgment: At a natural break (e.g., after a breakout room activity), the facilitator briefly acknowledges the latecomers without disrupting the flow. Example: “Welcome to those who joined us recently. We’re glad you’re here!”.

  3. Individual Support: During a break or quiet activity, the facilitator or producer privately offers individual support to latecomers, answering questions and providing a quick overview.

  4. Leverage the Chat: Direct latecomers to review the chat history for key information, instructions, and links.

  5. (Optional) Buddy System: Pair a latecomer with an on-time participant for peer support and guidance.

Examples#

  • Observation from CSV: “Guidance to facilitators for latecomers - Emma was late and we should make sure people feel welcome and supported”

  • Observation from CSV: “Document options when someone arrives late”

What it enables#

  • A welcoming and inclusive environment.

  • Minimized disruption to the session flow.

  • Effective integration of latecomers.

What it inhibits#

  • Potential for initial confusion for latecomers if instructions aren’t clear.

  • Risk of taking up too much time if individual support isn’t managed efficiently.

Facilitator considerations#

  • Avoid singling out or embarrassing latecomers.

  • Focus on creating a welcoming and inclusive environment.

Producer considerations#

  • Monitor participant arrivals and proactively welcome latecomers.

  • Provide clear and concise instructions in the private chat.

  • Ensure latecomers have access to all necessary materials.

Enabling actions#

  • Create a template message for welcoming latecomers.

  • Designate a specific time for facilitator/producer check-in with late arrivals.

Disabling actions#

  • Ignoring latecomers.

  • Publicly reprimanding latecomers.

Alternatives#

  • If many people are late, a very brief recap of the session so far could be useful if you have the space in the schedule.

Difficulties#

  • Some latecomers may take longer to settle, particularly those without a familiarity with Zoom or the course format.