Yep, we have this problem. One of the issues is that the manager is always late so people have generally started the chit-chat before and he doesn't interrupt.

Yep, we have this problem. One of the issues is that the manager is always late so people have generally started the chit-chat before and he doesn't interrupt. It would be better if he got in, listened for a second then said: "Sorry I'm late in, let's get things started" and then at the end said to person who was talking "X you were talking about Y, what's the deal with that?" and pushed the conversation to end of the meeting, and then people can leave if they don't want to chat. I think there has been a general consensus that remote work can be lonely, so people do like to build bonds with their colleagues in a natural way rather than have a specific, let's have a team building moment scheduled for Tuesday.