Zoom Breakout rooms are a useful feature used by anyone who hosts large meetings with people working together in smaller group discussions.  Breakout rooms have a multitude of uses across any organization with Zoom including the video and acoustic setup.  We wrote this article on 5 Tips to Make sure your Zoom Breakout Rooms are built properly to ensure your team does not miss a step when launching a breakout room causing pandemonium among your team.  If you are new to Zoom Breakout Rooms or not sure where to start, check out our AV Calulator blog where you can generate a budget of possible costs for a build-out.  Of course, each Zoom Room is unique and we can deliver a free design quote specifically to your conference room, just contact us!

Before starting a breakout room session, take time to practice all the different functionality of Zoom Breakout Rooms.  Once breakout rooms are launched, the meeting host can jump between breakout sessions.  The host can also push out a public message to everyone in the breakout rooms which everyone will receive as a notification on their Zoom Meeting application.  Each breakout room can share its own content and run its own Zoom meeting.  Once the breakout rooms are in session they can be manually or automatically merged back into the main session merging everyone back together.  All the features of a Zoom meeting work the same in a breakout room.  Before starting your breakout rooms, you need to determine how long the breakout sessions should last and if there will be a hard or soft ending to the breakout room session.

Here are our 5 tips to make sure your Zoom Breakout Rooms are setup properly:

Tip#1:  Pre-configure Your Breakout Room Structure

Setting up your breakout rooms before the meeting starts is a game-changer for smooth session management. Take time to create meaningful team names that align with your meeting objectives. Whether you’re organizing groups by project, topic, or function, clear naming conventions help participants quickly understand their assignments and purpose.  Also, you might look to add Zoom Room Backgrounds in a virtual setting which can add to your brand.

Tip#2: Strategically Assign Zoom Participants

Rather than random assignments, thoughtfully distribute participants across breakout rooms to maximize productivity and interaction. Consider factors such as:

  • Mixing skill levels and expertise
  • Balancing team sizes
  • Ensuring diversity of perspectives
  • Grouping complementary roles together

This deliberate approach fosters more meaningful discussions and better outcomes from your breakout sessions.

Tip#3: Configure Zoom Room Exit Settings

One often overlooked aspect of breakout room management is controlling how participants can exit their assigned rooms. Decide whether to:

  • Allow participants to return to the main session at will
  • Restrict movement until the breakout session ends
  • Enable “Ask for Help” features

Your choice should align with your meeting goals and the level of structure needed for your activities.

Tip#4: Implement Strategic Timing Controls

Effective time management is crucial for productive breakout sessions. Set up your timer controls to:

  • Define clear duration for activities
  • Configure automatic notifications when time is running low
  • Plan whether to end sessions manually or automatically
  • Include buffer time for transitions

Remember to give participants enough time to engage meaningfully while keeping the overall session on schedule.

Tip#5: Master Host Navigation Techniques Zoom

As a host, your ability to move efficiently between breakout rooms is essential for supporting participants. Familiarize yourself with:

  • Keyboard shortcuts for quick room transitions
  • How to broadcast messages to all rooms
  • Methods for joining rooms without disrupting discussions
  • Techniques for monitoring multiple rooms effectively

Practice these navigation skills before your meeting to ensure you can provide timely support when needed.

 

Zoom Breakout Rooms are designed to let large groups of people independently talk in smaller groups separately and then rejoin the larger session.  If you have ever run a classroom before you can understand how challenging this might be.  You might run into a variety of needs at some point including troubleshooting Zoom cameras and more, so we would be happy to discuss this prior to you investing in a Zoom Room.  Plus, if you are considering Zoom Rooms vs. Teams Rooms we have experience in both deployments and can explain the pro and cons of each!