Virtual meetings have presented a new set of challenges for managers. The loss of small talk when you enter or leave a room may not have been at the top of that list, but these unstructured conversations help promote strong bonds between team members, and their absence can be corrosive. Here are three easy ways to bring friendly banter into your virtual meetings:

1. Make small talk an agenda item, not an afterthought. You could leave unstructured time at the end of a meeting for casual chit chat or even dedicate an entire meeting to just catching up.
2. Start team meetings with an individual check-in or icebreaker. This could be as simple as asking each person to take a minute to share what’s been happening in their lives, both professionally and personally.
3. Introduce agenda items that rely on opinions. Ask an outside-of-the-box question that has no right or wrong answer, such as “When will we see the next concert or sporting event with more than 10,000 attendees?” Poll your team for their views and let the conversation meander.