Working from home - cameras on laptops?

[bbcessex]

I work from home at least two days a week, and regularly have conference calls etc.

In the past, it's not standard to have laptop cameras switched on for conf calls as we are a financial services company and it's not been common, but that's changing with teams about to regularly work more remotely due to corona policy.

I actually much prefer seeing the person / people I'm talking to and i think it helps with connecting / focus / communication. I've given my team notice that as we are all going to be working from home more (not formally told to yet but likely) I'd like to have work laptop cameras on during team calls wherever possible going forward.

Most people are fine - I've had the obvious comments 'oh no, I'll have to get dressed, ha ha', but a couple of people are really not happy about it (without being specific about why).

It's not mandatory of course, and i can't / won't enforce it, but I will encourage it.

Does anyone else have a view on this? Is it unreasonable to encourage?

I would be really unhappy about this. Really unhappy. I have mine turned off and some washi tape over it.

If I’m not in a face to face meeting then I don’t want to have to do my hair, put my make up on, make sure I’m sitting somewhere where the background is suitable, and feel like I have to be at attention all the time.

The software we use means I have to see my own face if the camera is on during a call, which makes me self-conscious and uncomfortable. I do it because it's expected, but it's not pleasant and I contribute less to calls with screens than without.

We do it all the time at work - video call as standard. I don't see what the issue is?

I don’t see how seeing my face would bring any benefit to a call. It comes across intrusive and I wouldn’t be happy with it.

I tape over mine so i would hate this. I'm really uncomfortable being on camera

I have mine taped shut.
that was the advice from our it department.

Depends on the broadband speed, it can lead to delays which are distracting.

I wouldn't like it.uke a pp, t would make me too self conscious. It's never an attractive angle. Plus, people would make judgements about your decor too .. it's not reasonable to point a camera into someone's private home if they're uncomfortable with the idea.

I work in a team that is scattered across the globe. Seeing people makes a huge difference as a lot of communication is not just verbal

Yes it is unreasonable. People want to keep their home private and separate from work.

If I do need to work from home then I will have camera off and would be very unhappy if it was enforced that I had to use a camera.

nope - I hate the idea that people can see my un-made-up face so close, and any background stuff (although I learned the other day on mn that Microsoft Teams has a background blur facility)

I hate it and tape up the camera.

I do if others do and find it a much better way to connect with colleagues.

Though I try and make sure the background is tidy though.

Also if you are on camera you know the people are focused to the conversation and not multitasking!

I would hate this, I covered my cameras up with stickers. I am a private person, I don't want people seeing the inside of my house on Skype.
Why would you need to see the people? You are on the phone to them, surely that is more than enough to check up on them.

My company is trying to introduce this too but I'm not overly keen. My cat waited until I was half way through a call before throwing up everywhere a few weeks ago and no one needs to see that on a video conference!

I stick a blob of blu - tack over the camera.

I have a colleague who has extreme anxiety bordering on phobia about being filmed / photographed (she told me as soon as I started line managing her and we work around it). I know that is extreme but just as an example that people do have strong feelings.

I would hate it.
I find team meetings uncomfortable anyway and I would be even more self conscious if they could see parts of my home (I have anxiety so it’s related to this and most interactions make me uncomfortable)

Hate video calls on in a grp situ, don’t think it adds anything.
Had one colleague comment that he’d pulled my screen up and watch me the whole time and thought I looked as bored as he felt.
It’s weird- in a room full of people in person no one would stare at you non
Stop like that. P
Skype/
Video one on one is different

You are being paid to work - I think it is a reasonable request to make.

It's my home. So no.

I wouldn't want to have a camera on me if I'm working from home, particularly if working from home was a temporary/emergency measure. I'd have to be working from a bedroom or my kitchen and it would feel like an intrusion for my colleagues to see the interior of my house

If wfh is not a properly set up scheme people may not be comfortable showing where they work.

In my case you would see a white wall or a shelf full of Leitz folders. In my colleague’s room you would realise she sits on her bed as she is only is a lodger and working in communal areas are not allowed.

DH, who works from home constantly, has conference calls and webinars at least twice a week. He never uses the camera and so far never thought that this is a disadvantage.

I also think there is a huge difference between a formal meeting and just a phone call. How often do you do meetings? I work from home occasionally for now 13 years and never had the need to do a full blown Skype session with camera on.

I have had to do this a few times in the past and I dont like it at all , I often have to make long notes so that I can cascade all the info to my team , so I dont look at the screen much but when I do I find easy to feel like I have to keep eye contact with the person that is speaking so I often mis write things .
Also as PP said if there is even a seconds delay it can be very distracting .
I have done it in the past from work but if I did it from home I would either have to move or cover my glass fronted drinks cabinet or they would think I would be on the booze the second the call ended .

So in short , no I would not have my camera on given the choice.

I would prefer it. I'm deaf and have to lipread.