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?

It's the modern way of working

^^ This. I have video conference calls daily, and have done for about 3 years now. It reduces any isolation and makes you feel like you've actually seen and spoken to humans, instead of a pixelated photo.

The way we work is rapidly changing, and those people who are so vehemently against changes such as video calls as a norm are the ones who will be left behind 🤷🏻‍♀️

I wouldn't be happy with this either. I hate FaceTime too.

I don't get what the issue is that someone knows what colour the walls are or what I'm wearing! If you're in a physical meeting they can see what you look like. If you're at home why does it suddenly become an issue? I'm self employed. Occasionally I do video calls for work but it has never occurred to me to see this as intrusion. It's nearly always been at the suggestion of the client and I can't say it's ever bothered me to look in the background of the video call and see where they are. I don't care. I care about what the meeting is about because that's what I'm being paid for.

This is why sci fi "videophones" never took off. The technology has existed for decades but people don't want to have to look their best just to answer the phone.

DH and I both work for tech companies - it's expected that you always have video on so you can have a proper conversation. A lot is conveyed by seeing facial expressions - it's not weird at all. You just sit in front of a white wall if you don't want people to see you house... You can only see a tiny bit around you anyway.

If I had a VC with senior management and I wouldn't turn my camera on because I've got no make up on and in pjs it would seem really unprofessional. You don't have to dress up but surely a t-shirt is fine?

If you were in an office you would be expected to do dace to face.

No, we still do a lot by telephone. Instant messenger if you have a quick query.

Clearly touched a nerve @ Hingeandbracket

surely a t-shirt is fine?
It's normal business attire for my office.

You don't have to dress up but surely a t-shirt is fine?

Not according to a lot of people on here. It seems that if you're not suited and booted you can't do your job! I manage to do my job perfectly well wearing jeans and t shirt.

Oh and to the person saying sit in front of a white wall, I don't actually have one and don't want one anyway.

PinkSparklyPussyCat, I think you're being hyper-specific about the "white wall" thing. No one in the history of corporate video chat has ever stipulated a white background as de rigeur for calls. No one. You're being picky.

People just mean "neutral" in a helpful way. You said you didn't want people to see your house. So they're saying, pick somewhere where you don't have pics of kids or things you wouldn't want shown. If your walls are grey or red or whatever, then people see that. It's not a big deal. Everyone has that, but you clearly don't want to be on a video call so if you insist you don't have it, I'll have to take your word for it.

Meanwhile re t-shirts etc, it doesn't matter what you wear for calls so long as you're wearing something. It's the people who want to roll out of bed, sit on their sofa in PJs with laptop on the side occasionally checking emails while doing a bunch of other things, who resent video calls. Because it essentially means they have to be "ready" in some kind of way, even though it only means throwing on a top for an hour's call

I'm self employed and often do video calls with my clients and others I work with (for example my web designer). Sometimes it's easier to connect with people when you can see them. On the other hand, I don't like seeing my own face on the screen when I'm speaking and find I'm more relaxed and "natural" when there's no video so can totally understand both sides from that perspective.

I'm surprised so many are worried about what else people can see behind you though. If you sit close enough to the computer, there's very little anyone can see behind you. You can test the camera before the call and adjust it so nothing you don't want to be seen is visible.

I wouldn't be happy about this. At least one thing I enjoy about working at home is the fact that I don't have to get ready to go out, i.e. put makeup on, get dressed etc. It saves time and allows you to work in a more relaxed environment.

While I wouldn't say I work in my PJs or night dress when I work at home but, equally, I don't go into full office dress either. I am not vain but I wouldn't be ecstatic about my colleagues seeing my on telecons in my home dress with no makeup etc. And I certainly wouldn't want the hassle of having to sort myself out for my manager to see my face on video for an hour.

In addition to that, we've had an instance at work when one of my colleagues joined a video call and everyone got to see what a mess her house was. After that call, we had an email from our MD demanding that we all have our houses in order when joining video calls with colleague and clients. This was clearly aimed at the said colleague and very embarrassing for her as well as awkward for all others.

Video calls must be left completely optional and it must be made clear to people that it is completely optional. In my company, all managers, who wanted video calls, have certainly always made it clear that they don't expect anyone who doesn't to use video.

I think you're being hyper-specific about the "white wall" thing.

Sorry, that was meant tongue in cheek to the 'oh just sit in front of a white wall' comment as I hate white walls, too harsh, I prefer something softer !

We have this for some and it's an absolute PITA. I don't mind for 121 meetings but the wider team meetings are often a waste of everyone's time anyway so usually I put myself on mute and crack on with making lunch when our HoD is droning on.

I repeat again- how does this use sit with data protection laws. There is an expectation of privacy in your home and an individual has a right to object to their personal data being used in this way if it is 'excessive'. It could easily be deemed as excessive as by the sounds of it, it is not a contractual obligation to conduct meetings in this way. There is another means of doing this, by phone so how do you justify the additional video recording.

It is not the case at all that those who object to their data being used in this way will be left behind. The GDPR was implemented to shift the balance of power away from companies to employees, customers, suppliers etc anyone it uses the personal data of. The legislation was needed precisely because organisations felt/feel entitled to use personal data without justification and override an individual's right to privacy. Arguably, those who don't understand its significance and do not comply with the law are going to be the ones left behind and are not keeping up with the most important issue in the digital age!

@Goldenbear

Could you clarify something please?

What "data" am I receiving if I ask you to join a video call which is streamed and not recorded?

How is "privacy" being breached if you find a corner of your home which doesn't reveal anything, or blur the background (plenty of people in this thread have listed the technology freely available with which to do that).

@roarfeckingroar

It's the "crack on with making lunch bit" which is why I get hugely frustrated with some British people's attitude to WFH.

It seems that once an employee crosses the threshhold of the workplace, they accept there are certain obligations and stipulations around their role. If I was sitting in an office with someone and they visibly checked out in front of me for 45 mins, and decided to make their lunch, everyone knows how that would go down.

it seems then that once an employee crosses the threshold of their house, it's their rules first, our obligations secondary. So if something's not interesting? Check out, make lunch, go out, whatever.

I don't think companies own people. I have colleagues who ask if they can nip out on their WFH days and pick up kids. No problem - I make sure the meeting calendar reflects that, even though technically it's a working day until 17:30 or whatever.

But I do take issue with people who basically think once they're home, they can "keep an eye" on work in the background because really they're there to do all their life admin, not our work.

Not on.

My worry is I won't be able to fill a full day working from home as I won't have everything I need. I'll need to take paper, stationery and I'll have to order more printer ink, which no doubt there will be a shortage of! We have been told to take our screens, keyboards, etc. home with us if we have to work from home which is fine, but I have no idea how to set them up, link to the printer etc.

Its highly likely that you've consented to your employer to processing your personal data via your employment contract. After all they need your personal details to vet you and pay you anyway.

I wouldn't class joining a video call as data processing anyway, but for arguments sake I think its covered.

I don't think its unreasonable if you work from home regularly to be asked to join video calls. If you don't have suitable work space at home, can't manage to join a call without getting suitably dressed (and I don't mean a suit) or avoiding other people/pets/tasks to distract you, then maybe you are not suitable for working from home in the first place.

@Goldenbear it's nothing to do with GDPR, flipping ridiculous.

If I was sitting in an office with someone and they visibly checked out in front of me for 45 mins, and decided to make their lunch, everyone knows how that would go down.

It would go down fine, because people are allowed a lunch break.

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

Hang on -

Do you need to print things out at home in order to work from home?

That seems unusual but if that is the case, do you have an IT representative at your work, or someone who nominally deals with that?

If so, say this to them specifically - that you need help and advice on how to set that up. I appreciate I work for a larger company but no-one should be left without advice on this stuff if they're expected to work from home.

I have to say it's unusual to need to print at home, as you could easily print everything out in the office the afternoon before. But if it's a requirement of your job, then someone should be giving you the advice you need, otherwise indeed it's potentially a liberty to expect you to have to do it yourself.

It's the people who want to roll out of bed, sit on their sofa in PJs with laptop on the side occasionally checking emails while doing a bunch of other things, who resent video calls.

Oh, so that's how I've retained my job throughout the last 3 decades ...

Each to their own. If you think video may help, by all means ask but don't assume that it's ok for everyone, and don't make daft blanket statements like the one above. You probably know which of your staff have a good work ethic and which 'pull sickies' (quite an alien concept to me, I was reading a thread last night which had me ). You can presumably tell whether an employee is getting their job done or not, regardless of exactly how or when?

@EBearhug

Why are people so pernickety on here? It's why we end up with long rambling posts half the time, with everyone placing disclaimers in case some spark decides to try and make the other look stupid.

So for clarification, I'm aware people get lunch hours, and they can do whatever they want in that lunch hour. That's the same for WFH - I expect people to check out for a lunch hour in that time also.

I'm referring however to someone who has been asked to dial in at a time that they've agreed to (accepting the meeting invite), then deciding it's boring so they go off and do something else for the hour.

If someone did that in a work-hour not a lunch hour, in front of everyone in the office, it might not go down as they hoped.

Does that clear that up? Sorry for not being more specific.

Do you need to print things out at home in order to work from home?

I will do if I'm working from home for any period of time. I can cope if it's a day or 2 but if it's longer I'll struggle. I can print out anything I have the day before but I get new queries and issues every day, especially with the issues caused by Coronavirus.

We do have an IT rep at work, but he's currently on holiday for the next 2 weeks and will then have to self isolate for a further 2 weeks so he won't be able to help! Luckily DH is very tech savvy, unlike me!