To think British people could bother to turn on video during introductions?

[GinDaddyRedux]

So I've joined a new department. It's based in the UK, but we work across geographies - Asia, parts of west Africa, and Europe.

We had a core team introduction video call on Tuesday. Everyone at the moment is working from home due to COVID-19.

For information, I'm relatively senior, but the incumbent manager was hosting the call. It was specifically labelled on Teams as "Video introduction with XXXXYY team" etc.

We go on the call, 15 people, and those from Asia and Africa and Europe? All had their video on, all very friendly and positive.

The Brits? I couldn't actually believe it, but aside from the manager who was excellent, not one person had their camera on. Just a black screen with their initials.

Now this is not the first time I've experienced this. At a previous department, it was the same sort of culture. Some folk especially from IT or HR were happy to have the camera on, but anyone from the project teams? Oh no, not us...never ever on.

I think that's fine if you're sharing slides, or you know the people, but this is team building in the time of COVID. Surely it's not unreasonable to expect that when the only tool for connecting is video, then someone could be bothered to quickly say "hello" and smile at folk to make them welcome?

It was also notable how the people with black screens/letters, barely spoke. The critical in me was thinking whether they come on the call, mute their mic, then wander around doing other tasks. Yes video calls can be too numerous and lengthy, but it's such a poor way to make a first impression.

AIBU here? I remember seeing a topic on this last year on here and being roundly told to "keep my nosey (sic) beak out of my house", as if I want to see into someone's furniture and upholstery choices!! Nope couldn't care less about your house, I just actually want to interact with my team!

And if it pisses you off that much, speak to the organiser instead of making stupid comments like this on MN

Sometimes I use video and sometimes I don’t. For lots of big group calls, you can quite easily listen in but also do other stuff. I’ll quite often turn the video off if my toddler wants to say hello.

FWIW I agree completely OP, YANBU at all! Its just polite to show your face and say hi at least for a few minutes especially when it's a new person. I don't always have my video on especially in internal meetings with people I know well (and when my hair's messy :D) but we had a meeting recently to introduce a new colleague and I was one of only two people to put their video on out of about 30+ people! I felt really sorry for her... joining a new company and people can't even show their faces. How is she supposed to get to know people? I also always have video on for client calls as I think it's only polite (and make a bit of effort to sort my hair out lol).

I totally get that this doesn't work for everyone. I mean if you literally have a baby or toddler on your lap then you're better keeping your video off, but pretty sure this doesn't apply to 90% of the team... i don't think it makes for good teamwork TBH I think it's more likely to lead to the boss wanting people back in the office sooner rather than later.

Also lots of people are working in their bedroom or somewhere else that isnt ideal. I can see why they might not want to be on video.

@GinDaddyRedux YANBU and unfortunately most of the posts on this thread prove your point.

If it’s an introductory team call, you should have your camera on to connect with your teammates.

If your house is messy, then turn your camera on and use a fake background so nobody sees your messy house.

If you’re like previous posters and haven’t showered, your hair is messy or uncombed, you’re wearing pyjamas, etc...then take a freaking shower, comb your hair or at least tie it back, and change into real clothes before the call. It’s literally the least you could do turn up for a call with someone. You don’t even have to shower. Just change into an unstained t-shirt and move your hand through your hair.

So many excuses and low standards on this thread.

My husband usually has his camera on but at the moment his mother with severe dementia is staying with us. She cannot be trusted.

DH works from home and has team meetings that often start early. He is frequently the only one with his camera turned off. The reason is that his 'office' is in our bedroom, and I am frequently still in bed behind him! I don't think I'd trust a background, while I climb out of bed and stumble to the shower half asleep. The managers said the first time that they weren't bothered whether it was turned on or off, and noone has ever mentioned it again. It hadn't occurred to either of us that others might be annoyed by this.

1. Because I find video distracting. It reduces the quality of a meeting (for me), not increases it.
2. Because I genuinly prefer forming an opinion of someone based on what they see, not what I see.
3. Because my laptop is hooked up to a monitor and sat to the side of me. To get a full face video, I have to face the wall, not my keyboard.
4. Because, despite multiple calls in and with multiple companies with people from multiple countries, I've only ever seen about 10% of participants actually use video. To me, it is still off when they do.

Nobody's had a haircut since February.

For actual work I turn it on (as do most), but for something inane like télécafé the only reason I would consider turning it on would be to give a visual representation of my disdain.

I wouldn’t like to see myself on a video call. I barely look at the mirror as it is....

I spent a lot of time in Britain. One thing I noticed is that British people have a brilliant sense of humour about themselves, and they also are hugely critical to themselves, to the point where patriotism is essentially viewed as racism. If you say to them "British people are bad at X" the usual reaction from them would be to laugh their heads off and say "yeah, we are bad at X, aren't we?! Haha! You know what else we're bad at?..." They love to tell you their shortcomings in absolute earnest.

So if you're on a British website, mostly populated by British people, and most people are disagreeing with you about this criticism of their behaviour, it probably means that you are wrong.

YABVVVVU to say that this is something that all Brits do, or even only Brits do. I was just on a call with some Americans the other day who had cameras off, and of the ones who had their cameras on they were obviously multitasking on screen at the same time (you can always tell).

YANBU to expect people to put in the work to present professionally with the camera on. I was quite surprised on a thread on here a few weeks ago how many posters said they hated having their cameras on and refused to do it even when instructed - for all sorts of reasons, intrusion, not liking seeing their own face on camera, wanting to get on with other things at the same time.

It's our company policy for us to have cameras on and not to multitask unless it's either a huge anonymous webinar, or the task is necessary for the call at hand. We've been using zoom for meetings for years since we went carbon negative as a company, cut way down on corporate travel and more people worked from home to reduce commuting time and emissions so maybe we're more used to it at this point. I remember when I joined the company long before lockdown being told to find a place at home with natural light falling on my face from the front or the side for a more professional appearance on camera, and if we needed to, we could get one of those roll down screens to roll down behind us and block the view of the room and give a solid colour for a virtual background. We also have standard company backgrounds with our branding to use in calls so we present a unified appearance.

(Of course, I now have my kids at home who occasionally put paid to all this preparation, but that's nothing to do with normal WFH, just a quirk of lockdown since schools have been closed.)

Racist towards a nation of people of varying races

So, what you are saying, @Xiaoxiong, is that yoru employer has set up their company to accommodate video calls, including the technology and formal expectations.

A tad different from the lockdown situation!

You can't really compare the two, at least not and find one version lacking!

Dh is working from his own computer at home, no camera so no video. He briefly thought about going to get one from work but decided it wasn't "essential". Given dd has a sixth sense for when he's on a call, I have to say I'm glad.

We can’t have any video working on our internet. We can’t download or stream either.
So that’s why we’ve not been in any videos, because it will just freeze and it’s pointless.

Our work is extremely clear video should be on at all times unless for example a child comes in and you need to quickly step out, or you’re on a walking phone call rather than a formal meeting. So are all our clients.

I don’t think it should be optional - first of all, it’s much easier to zone out and just sit on the line if you know people can’t see you, so you’re unlikely to be giving the meeting your full attention. Secondly, it does massively decrease how connected the other people on the call feel to you. So it’s super important for relationships and networks.

Having said that, I’m British and I don’t think it’s a British thing at all. More a company culture thing - the host of the call should just say at the start of the call “everyone, videos on please” - doesn’t have to be a big deal but if it’s done on every call people will do it automatically.

I think it's lovely to have your video on, much more personal but for those people with kids at home, it isn't always that easy. These are not normal times in Britain for people where they're children are not at school.

I would not generalise this as a British thing from a sample group of 15 where not all of those people were British.

I work in a large team and is noticeable that no-one under the age of 30 puts their video on. All of us oldies do - it makes the meeting so much easier to actually see each other. Maybe we care less about appearance? Or the youngsters are more used to remote contact and less in need of face to face? I don’t know the answer but it is very noticeable.

I'm fine with 'Brit'. 'Across geographies' however .

Ludicrous extrapolation from a meeting of 15 people, only some of whom were British, that 'Brits' in general don't switch the camera on though.

It is our hideous teeth.

Also, we can't let you see that all our cheeks are full of marbles so we can sound like our dear Queen.

Plus, we all dress like Jane Austen characters and are red faced from the corsets.

And we are not worth talking to anyway, what with us all being rabid socialists who worship a health care system and like rain.

@Polyxena

Next time, dry snitch on them.

@Cismyfatarse

It is our hideous teeth.

Also, we can't let you see that all our cheeks are full of marbles so we can sound like our dear Queen.

Plus, we all dress like Jane Austen characters and are red faced from the corsets.

And we are not worth talking to anyway, what with us all being rabid socialists who worship a health care system and like rain.

OP claims to be a Brit - just hates the rest of us, with our lax video habits :)