Technology is transforming the way business is conducted across all sectors – for the better. Yet, embracing new technology in the boardroom can be daunting, especially for organizations accustomed to paper-based processes.
Making the transition to a digital board portal is well worth the effort. In fact, when you have a solid transition plan in place (and the right support along the way), the benefits of implementing board portal software far exceed the initial barriers.
So, what steps can organizations take to ease the transition to a board portal?
Recently, speaker, author, and governance professional Simone Bellamy joined us for an ATLAS Leadership webinar to share tips and best practices for making a smooth transition to a digital board portal. She discussed:
- The benefits of switching to a board portal
- How to provide training for all learning types
- Transition processes and tasks to ensure success
- Tips for conducting your first meeting on a board portal
In this post, we’ll share some of the top takeaways from this session.
Transitioning to a Board Portal Includes Many Benefits
Bellamy understands the pains of paper-based board management all too well. “I had the opportunity to work with an organization that had 100 board-related meetings per year,” she said. “I was making 45 board books for the board meetings. This was my life for a number of years.”
When attending an industry event, Bellamy learned more about board portals. “It was almost like me having a golden ticket and getting into the chocolate factory,” she said.
Bellamy kicked off the session by exploring some of the key benefits of a board portal, which include:
- Efficiency and productivity: One of the biggest benefits of a board portal is that it increases productivity and time management. For example, Bellamy shared that in the past, it would take a lot of time to pull historic documents if a need arose. “Now, I can get my hands on seven years of minutes and get it to a requester within 15 minutes.”
- Security: In the past, board documents were shared via methods including postal mail, interoffice mail, or email. These methods aren’t as secure as we’d like to think. A board portal provides a secure method for the board to exchange confidential information.
- Technological advances: According to Bellamy, governance professionals can be stewards of technology. “Your board members have experienced getting mail and PDFs,” she said. “The next step is a board portal.”
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Look for Certain Features in a Board Portal
Once you’ve made the decision to switch to a board portal, it’s time to do your homework to see what options you have. “It’s important to interview portal providers,” said Bellamy.
It can feel overwhelming to weigh your options. Bellamy advised attendees to look for certain things in a board portal, including:
- Costs and number of licenses: Typically, the cost of the board portal is based on the number of licenses. Find out what happens if you exceed that number of licenses.
- Security measures: It’s important to ask board portal vendors what measures they take to keep their customers’ information safe and secure.
- Data ownership and transfer: Be sure you understand who owns the data you store in the board portal and how you can get it back if you switch to a different provider.
- Robust reporting features: This can help you measure things like attendance and whether board members are actually using the portal. “There are so many features board portals have now that they didn’t have before,” said Bellamy.
- Customization features: Ask what features are available to customize the board portal to your organization’s needs.
- User-friendly interface: It’s important to find a portal that’s easy for administrators and board members to use. When the portal is easy to use, adoption will grow.
- Timely technology updates: Be sure to look for a board portal that’s committed to continuous innovation. “You want a board portal provider that’s going to listen to you,” said Bellamy. “You don’t want a provider that’s going to be left behind with technology.”
Set Clear Expectations
Making the switch to a board portal should make things easier, not harder. It’s important to set clear expectations to ensure this is the case.
Bellamy advised attendees to establish a style guide and templates in advance. For example, you can indicate that the text in the body of Word documents must be Arial 12 point font, while headers should be 14 point font. Be sure to share these guidelines with all individuals who submit materials for board meetings.
“All these documents are coming from different places,” explained Bellamy. “A style guide can ensure a uniform experience.”
It’s also important to clearly communicate board and committee meeting information deadlines. One effective way to do this is to front-load communications in advance. This involves scheduling all meeting information submission dates for the entire year — right at the beginning of the year. “[Those who submit information for meetings] get notifications of when things are due to me,” said Bellamy. “It’s time-consuming at the outset, but it ends up being a time-saver later.”
Meet People Where They Are
When delivering training on a new board portal, governance professionals are likely to encounter three “tech personalities.”
- The Wiz Kid: These are the folks who embrace new technology and can quickly get up and running.
- Reluctant to Willing: These people may not be the most tech-savvy, but they’re willing to try.
- Things are Great as They Are: These are the people who want to continue doing things the way they’ve always been done and don’t see the value of switching to a board portal.
It can be challenging to deliver effective training that meets the needs of all these different groups. “It’s important to meet them where they are,” said Bellamy.
Don’t Try to Do it Alone on Launch Day
Once you’ve completed training, it’s time to conduct your first meeting using your new board portal. One piece of advice Bellamy offered is, “Don’t try to do it alone.”
Bellamy advised attendees to conduct an abbreviated group training right before the board meeting. She also recommended including a “Password Manager” whose sole function is to be on a laptop provisioning passwords. “[Passwords] are the number one thing that holds up progress,” she said.
In addition, ensure IT staff are present to ensure directors can login and access the portal. It’s a good idea to keep them around for the first part of the meeting so they can provide support, if needed.
It’s critical to plan in advance to ensure your launch is as smooth as possible. However, Bellamy also advised attendees to “plan for the unexpected.”
Fortunately, a board portal makes it easier to pivot when necessary. “One of the beauties of a board portal is how quickly you can make changes for a meeting. You can literally conduct a live update,” concluded Bellamy.
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About The Author
- Adam Wire is a Content Marketing Manager at OnBoard who joined the company in 2021. A Ball State University graduate, Adam worked in various content marketing roles at Angi, USA Football, and Adult & Child Health following a 12-year career in newspapers. His favorite part of the job is problem-solving and helping teammates achieve their goals. He lives in Indianapolis with his wife and two dogs. He’s an avid sports fan and foodie who also enjoys lawn and yard work and running.
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