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?

If you are an employer then you would realise that organisations have to comply with the law. In this particular scenario, where working from home is due to the Coronavirus then there is no lawful basis of contract to process this personal data via conferencing, an employee would have the right to object. If you are an employer, you should have a decent understanding of data protection law!

I take objection to "fannying around on videochat" though. The Asia head I speak to earns just under £100k. She is articulate, qualified and smart. Do you think she "fannys about" on a call? I think she herself would find that reductive and belittling.

No, I just don't see what it adds, that's all. Personally, I would get less work done if I had to faff around video-calling people. I don't want someone watching me while I work - it feels too much like school. I'm a grown adult and more than capable of choosing how I work. If that's in the sofa under a blanket, then so be it. As long as I get my work done, it shouldn't matter where I choose to do it, or what I choose to wear.

It's the modern way of working. If you were in an office you would be expected to do dace to face. This is just the technological version.

Not for everyone, it's not.

I would say for the vast majority of jobs, video calling is unnecessary. Some people may prefer it, but that doesn't mean it's needed in order to get the job done. If you prefer it and want to speak on video, then go ahead, but I don't understand why it's necessary to make other people do the same thing.

I get the most work done at home on my own, or in the office on my own I find the constant interruptions of face-to-face chat very distracting. Luckily these days, I work for myself the only interruptions these days are the dog wanting out, and the cat wanting to sleep on my keyboard!

Video calling is not someone watching you while you work though, it's a meeting! The camera isn't on all day. You turn it on (or uncover it) for that meeting.

When you are in a meeting you should be paying attention, whether on your sofa or in a board room. That's just decent manners.

@adaline

Your singular view of YOUR type of work is what is making discussion impossible here.

I'm very happy you have found a line of work that means you can do what you do without needing video chat. That's great.

The OP however (and this is her thread!) clearly works in an environment where it's desirable to.

And in my example, it's essential. Not optional - essential.

My direct reports are happy with the setup. Video chat doesn't "distract them" when it happens - it IS the task itself.

So why can't people accept that we all do different work with different demands placed??

@ZarkingBell

Amen exactly, said it much better than I ever could.

Video doesn't mean "always on". But if I'm doing a 1-1 with an Asia colleague, and we have the option, then we do it

I don't Skype or Facetime as I detest the intrusive nature of it

I don't either. I don't want people seeing me when I'm on the phone!

I wouldn't like this. My home is private.

The OP however (and this is her thread!) clearly works in an environment where it's desirable to.

Yes, DESIRABLE, not essential, which is the entire point of my posts.

Just because person A likes to use video chats, doesn't mean person B has to agree or go along with it. Unless it's absolutely necessary, then it should be down to personal preference.

I've repeatedly said that some jobs do require it, and that's fine, but insisting on it when you can get the same work done via e-mail or phone is just pointless and enforcing rules for the sake of it.

To all the people who have said they don't want to be seen on the phone etc - ok. That's fine - that's your choice and presumably you've found roles that suit your approach.

The OP's post (lest we forget it completely!) is about a policy change at a workplace where they want to encourage videochat.

In her case, I think there is an aspect here where employees are asked to be flexible in their approaches to work and respond to changing circumstances and environments.

It's the inflexibility of some people I've encountered in workplaces that gets my goat.

They act as if WFH is a human right, and "privacy" is a legal word to be thrown around as a shield to encompass "anything I don't want to do".

We are clear to people who join us from the very start, that we provide videoconferencing facilities for home use - a laptop with enabled software. If any objections on the basis of mental illness (anxiety) or anything else? That's the time to hear them.

@gindaddy she already said that "I've repeatedly said that some jobs do require it, and that's fine,"

To be honest I prefer going into the office. To me work is work, something I do because I have to and I like to keep it separate from home. I appreciate I'm lucky as I have a 15 minute commute and I might feel differently if I had to travel!

It's not about direct 24 surveillance but it is a way of checking in on an employee.

This is a funny take on it. Although I do take in the packages as I'm not the only (mainly) home worker in the street.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/10/working-from-home-amazon-packages

I have video on or off when I work from home, depending what the situation is. But I think it's worth considering the environmental cost of a video call when an ordinary phone call will do:

www.bbc.com/future/article/20200305-why-your-internet-habits-are-not-as-clean-as-you-think

It's obviously hard to calculate, but there is a cost.

I wouldn't like this. Especially in the school holidays when my dd is larking about with just her pants on whilst playing the recorder in the background while I flap my hands around waving at her to be quiet.

Tape over my camera for me. Can't see how it would improve anything on a conference call tbh either. I actually find it less distracting to just talk and not see the person.

A lot of people on this thread are making out like there are 2 options: WFH in full office attire with video on, or you must be watching TV and doing laundry in your PJs while wiggling your mouse every 10 mins to keep your laptop on.

I don't like doing video calls - though I will if I have to - and I work in comfy clothes from my sofa a lot of the time, but that doesn't mean I'm not giving 100%. I'm certainly not spending my day doing housework and aimlessly wandering around.

Also funnily enough, our (large FTSE 100) company is currently discouraging the use of video on Skype calls, because it adds strain to the VPN connection we need to use to WFH. I've seen a few people comment about how it couldn't possibly lead to bandwidth problems - it does!

@GinDaddy fair point but I'm firmly of the opinion that many people like the sounds of their own voices too much and many meetings could've been an email. If the meeting is of any relevance / importance to me (and I'm in a senior role) I will give it my full attention. I'm more productive WFH, but I refuse to waste my own time pandering to the witterings of egos.

I'm finding this obsession with privacy and full makeup a bit strange. What major secrets will you reveal by colleagues seeing a small section of your home and do you really think people care about how your face looks? Just put on a plain top.

Yanbu.

If you are working from home you need to be able to do your work in full including face to face communication if that would be part of your job in the office. If you can handle a face to face meeting you ought to be able to hand a video conference.

I'd be immediately suspicious of anyone who resisted this. The assumption is that they are:-

1. not in fact at home
2. have children there with no childcare
3. are passively dialled in while doing the ironing/watching telly with the microphone muted etc.

However - I wouldn't judge a colleague who dialled in in comfy clothes sat on the sofa, this is typical for my work.

My cat often walks into video conferences, my colleagues overseas find this very amusing.

Camera's @ home!