Ideas for engaging lunch and learns across multiple time zones
Keep sessions engaging by delivering the most useful information in the shortest amount of time with absolutely no fillers. Accommodating all job roles across different countries is intimidating for first-timers, but relying on simple presentations and a shared Google Drive for resources keeps it manageable. This approach ensures organizers can respect everyone's schedule and let participants go on time.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Keeping sessions short (30 to 45 minutes)Did this help you?
- 2Rotating times to accommodate different time zonesDid this help you?
- 3Recording sessions for people who cannot attendDid this help you?
- 4Using diverse formats like demos, Q and As, and guest speakers instead of only PowerPointsDid this help you?
- 5Designing sessions for remote attendees firstDid this help you?
- 6Gathering topic suggestions directly from employeesDid this help you?
- 7Keeping the presentation as concise as possible and ending the session earlyDid this help you?
- 8Providing resources via a shared cloud drive instead of requiring active participationDid this help you?
- 9Assuming the audience is already competent and only offering highly specific, granular tips to take or leaveDid this help you?
- 10Avoiding icebreakers and forced fun activities entirelyDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Recently I was put in charge of reviving lunch and learns at my job. I have never done them before. They will be hybrid over multiple countries/time zones. They will also include all teams/job roles. Any tips for a first timer?”source ↗
“I’ve given a few PD’s. I try to give the most useful information that I can in the shortest amount of time that I can with no fillers. Simple presentation on the overhead, Google Drive for resources that I share with whoever hired me to do the PD do they can share with their people, let everybody go on time.”source ↗
“I am planning to do a short PD session with my staff about how we can make our lessons more engaging and I was wondering if this community could help me with some ideas on how to make this session more engaging?”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 3How to train new employees on technical work without repeating yourself
- 4Employee onboarding workflow for small teams
- 9Why do we keep sitting through professional development we already know?
- 2Why is security awareness training so rigid and hard to customize?
- 5Where to start as a new project manager with no experience
- 5Why are admin meetings taking over teacher prep periods?