Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Working from home - cameras on laptops?

467 replies

bbcessex · 08/03/2020 21:05

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?

OP posts:
GinDaddy · 09/03/2020 15:41

@Figgygal

Can I ask why you wouldn't be happy to be asked to use video?

adaline · 09/03/2020 15:41

However when I'm in a meeting room physically, you can see people's reactions. You can understand who wants to contribute etc. Non-verbal is a huge part of why meetings work for me.

But what works for YOU isn't what works for everyone else!

GinDaddy · 09/03/2020 15:43

@adaline

Ok that's fine - I accept that I'm different and others may not desire or need to see how people are engaging with an idea etc.

However if I'm marooned at home for three weeks and so is half my team, is it truly unreasonable for me to ask to do a 1-1 by video chat?

ErrolTheDragon · 09/03/2020 15:59

when the company provides video chat software and laptops with cameras in order that you can sit from the comfort of your sofa or wherever in the first place!

I'm pretty sure camera on my laptop is just because it's a cheap, standard component of a laptop nowadays. Confused

ErrolTheDragon · 09/03/2020 16:01

is it truly unreasonable for me to ask to do a 1-1 by video chat?

It's not unreasonable to ask; it would be unreasonable for the other people to feel under pressure to use video.

CamillaBeauchamp · 09/03/2020 16:02

I am genuinely surprised by this thread.

I have worked for a company where skype for business with no camera on was the norm and I have worked for a business where video was the norm. I honestly think that there was less misunderstanding and easier to work in groups on video

EBearhug · 09/03/2020 16:04

it truly unreasonable for me to ask to do a 1-1 by video chat?

No, not unreasonable to ask, but broadband capabilities etc may mean it's unreasonable to insist.

PhilCornwall1 · 09/03/2020 16:05

@GinDaddy I've conducted many team meetings over Skype to my team of 15 without cams on. I know my team well and will know the ones who are engaged and the ones who won't be, it'll be he usual suspects who aren't in face to face meetings. Dealing with them is a whole different topic though.

Hingeandbracket · 09/03/2020 16:19

when the company provides video chat software and laptops with cameras in order that you can sit from the comfort of your sofa or wherever in the first place!

I'm pretty sure camera on my laptop is just because it's a cheap, standard component of a laptop nowadays. confused

Exactly - and if the company wants to save a few quid by getting computers with no camera, that's fine by me :)

GinDaddy · 09/03/2020 16:22

@EBearhug

Broadband capabilities?

I've never had an issue with anyone's broadband connection when doing video calls. Ever.

FWIW it's the case that 90% of the people I'm dialling into stream dozens of hours of TV a month on Netflix or whatever. So a short video call isn't going to tax their broadband connection.

Figgygal · 09/03/2020 16:28

I hate seeing myself on the screen I’d find it a massive distraction.

adaline · 09/03/2020 17:01

However if I'm marooned at home for three weeks and so is half my team, is it truly unreasonable for me to ask to do a 1-1 by video chat?

Not at all unreasonable to ask, but it would be unreasonable to insist on it when it's not necessary, which it rarely is.

adaline · 09/03/2020 17:02

FWIW it's the case that 90% of the people I'm dialling into stream dozens of hours of TV a month on Netflix or whatever. So a short video call isn't going to tax their broadband connection.

I'm rural. My internet connection copes fine with Netflix and other streaming services, but add in FaceTime or Skype, or any other form of video chat and the whole thing freezes and drops out on a regular basis.

My laptop (MacBook) doesn't support ethernet connections so I can only use WiFi. I'd find the constant dropping of signal far too distracting.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 09/03/2020 17:11

People seem to think WFH means their home, their rules - and that somehow us line managers have to work around whatever they've set up at home.

It does to a point I'm afraid. I don't have an office or spare room so yes, my line managers will have to accept I'm working at the dining room table with the washing in the background. You don't seem to realise that not everyone is set up to work from home.

If I've provided you with a laptop, and it has a camera, you can tape it up all you like - I'll just ask you to un-tape it when we do the video calls. You object on the grounds that you want to wear your dressing gown or your kids might run into shot? indeed.co.uk is free for all to browse.

In that case I presume you wouldn't object to DH walking through whilst we're on the call?

GinDaddy · 09/03/2020 17:18

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

You and others seem inordinately focused on the background appearance of a call. I couldn't give a monkeys whether someone has their washing behind them, but I would think it mildly disingenous that there isn't another camera angle to be found other than directly square-on with washing in view.

I did loads of video calls from a tiny one bed flat in South London. I used to do them from the bedroom - background was a wall - it wasn't difficult to find something neutral.

My DW used to work from home at the same time hence me using another room. She didn't walk through the calls I was on, or appear in the background, because...i used another room. I made sure I was in the right environment for the call.

it's the litany of excuses that fascinate me on this thread - people seem to think that once WFH is involved, it's a video free zone because there might be familial objects in the background.

I just don't think that's an excuse, I hope that doesn't sound too harsh but there are a myriad of ways of finding angles and environments where you don't have to have your drying underwear on camera. That's obvious.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 09/03/2020 17:28

GinDaddy, please try to understand that not everyone has the set up to work from home. If I have to due to Coronavirus then the company will have to accept that I am making do, I am not rearranging my house to accommodate work.

I couldn't give a monkeys whether someone has their washing behind them, but I would think it mildly disingenous that there isn't another camera angle to be found other than directly square-on with washing in view..

Due to the layout of my living room and the location of my dining room table there isn't. I would not be moving the furniture because you think it 'mildly disingenuous'.

I used to do them from the bedroom - background was a wall - it wasn't difficult to find something neutral.

That would look professional, sitting on the bed with the laptop balanced on my lap while I struggled to take notes! Probably worse than the washing!

My DW used to work from home at the same time hence me using another room. She didn't walk through the calls I was on, or appear in the background, because...i used another room. I made sure I was in the right environment for the call.

I don't have another room, is that really so hard to understand? DH can stay in the bedroom but if he wants to get to the bathroom or kitchen he has to walk through the living room.

cherish123 · 09/03/2020 17:35

Not really your business whether your colleagues use them or not. If you want to, great. It probably is easier but some people prefer not to.

sabbii · 09/03/2020 17:43

I WFH as needed and have no qualms with video. You can be selective as to when you need it such as team meeting you really want to be engaging with everyone. Also need it for some client calls. I talk a lot with my colleagues over video calls, helps so much with collaboration.
I don't think you can justify not ever using video.
I have invested on a basic home office set-up (eBay, gumtree etc) plus I am always dressed well.
It's a bit off if you don't want to even dress appropriately for work even if it is the corner of your bedroom (where I used to be holed up). If you don't anyone to see your background it's pretty easier to put up barrier /partion behind you. Did that a lot when I was going through Skype interviews.

jay55 · 09/03/2020 17:45

It was standard in my old workplace. It's no problem for me.
It might be an issue if anyone works from a coffee place etc.

Tessabelle74 · 09/03/2020 17:47

I would assume those people are not at home and don't want to get caught out

jenkel · 09/03/2020 17:47

You can blur the background so no one can see your home,

adaline · 09/03/2020 17:51

People can work elsewhere other than their home - library, coffee shop etc - all perfectly valid.

People often sit and work in our local Costa as it has free Wi-fi, it's warm and great for meetings.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 09/03/2020 18:01

I think there's a difference between those who work from home regularly and those who will have to do it temporarily because of Coronavirus.

I don't have the set ups to work from home normally and, if I have to do it because the office is closed, then work will have to accept the situation is less than ideal. I'm certainly not spending money on anything, rearranging my furniture or banishing DH to the bedroom!

Regarding getting dressed for work, if I was working from home I'd be wearing jeans and t shirt, not office clothes as I don't see the point. I don't bother with make up for work half the time anyway, let alone at home!

Gwenhwyfar · 09/03/2020 18:04

"I plug my laptop into a screen to make my home workstation more ergonomic so I can't do this anyway."

Good point. People shouldn't be working permanently on laptops.

Gwenhwyfar · 09/03/2020 18:08

"I think there's a difference between those who work from home regularly and those who will have to do it temporarily because of Coronavirus. "

What worries me is organisations now closing for snow even when it's quite possible for a lot of staff to come in and telling them they have to work from home even if they want to go in. If it's my employer choosing for me to work from home then I want all the equipment I'd have at work, proper office chair, heating paid for, etc.
Coronavirus is a bit different as it wouldn't be their fault.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.