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!

@felixowl

The key points I take from the original post were: It was about building a team. How can you have a team that is involved if we cannot see each other? How can you build confidence with the strangers in the overseas teams who cannot identify the Brits. We are all going to wfh more, the background must be as part of the planning as your desk and file storage. We must become more committed and more professional. Management and line managers MUST get to grips with building confidence in their employees. Give people training in the use of the kit you expect them to use. Factor in TIME for training.

Excellent post @felixowl and it gets to the heart of the matter.

I think someone not having the video on when most others do seems way ruder than if everyone is on a phone conference call. It's the inequity of it. Someone said 'well, no-one complained when I did it'- true, I would never complain, but I would note it and I feel less warm towards these mystery people who can't appear on screen when the rest of us have to put up with looking like warthogs! Once, it doesn't register- but every time, when they don't really participate, obvious there's a lack of effort there.

YABU. I don't think it's rude, any more than a telephone call where you can't see the person's face is rude. I hate video calls and won't do them, for work or personal purposes. It makes me very self-conscious about my appearance, and not only in a 'my hair isn't perfect' way, but the way I move and how my face looks as I speak. That doesn't happen when I meet people in person because I don't see my reflection while talking to people face-to-face! Audio only and sharing screen/slides if appropriate. I don't see the problem.

Haven't read all the answers, but if it's very important for them to show their faces, I would have expected you or the host to tell them that.
I don't think your sample size is big enough to make any generalisations, but if it was the entire UK team, I would wonder if there was some technical reason why they might not have been on there.

Maybe they don't have a camera. I don't.

If you don't have a camera, I think that's a good enough temporary reason, but surely your work have to provide you with a camera then if they want you to participate in calls.

I work with some young people who are just starting their careers, live in flat shares and have spent lockdown working from tiny bedrooms. Its the only personal space they have during this time. I 100% understand why some of them do not turn their video cams on. Or anyone else who seeks to preserve a bit of privacy around their home life. Don’t forget we have all had this forced upon us. The WFH, zoom call culture is still very new. Who are you, OP, to call the standard and set the rules? Maintain your own high standards, sure. But don't impose them on everyone else.

Oh how did we cope with multi site/international business without videoconference back when we only had phones in isolated offices. I have managed in my time to develop balanced productive teams and become established as part of a team without knowing what people look like. Yes its great to embrace the technology but being able to see someone doesnt mean you cant develop a relationship with you. Is it a "British" thing, cite your evidence that this phenomenon is British only

How kind of you @ JingsMahBucket.
As they say "don't get me started about training".
It is as if we expect people to just 'know' how things work by inbuilt natural skill.
It is so bad in some circumstances that wanting training is like admitting a personality failing.
Have you ever encountered the "If I tell him that then he will know as much as I do, where will that leave me?" Grrr

I am gobsmacked by this (and the responses)!!

I have been having regular online meetings with individuals and groups since lockdown (and before) and haven't found this to be the situation with UK people at all. Some people like to have a 'green screen' or background to hide their personal stuff, but very rarely their faces. In my experience, the main reason people turn off their videos is that they are not paying full attention to what's going on in the meeting. This is a very rude IMHO. The way to stop it is to have shorter meetings and to break people into small groups. It's much harder to hide in a small group. But your management should request that videos are turned on during the meeting.

One thing I would say is that the UK education system might be relatively bad at teaching people how to present themselves in front of a crowd - some schools teach public speaking, for example, but it's often a club - and many schools don't have it at all. There's relatively little oral testing. Whereas in other countries, schoolchildren have to do presentations and oral tests in class every other week, and adults are a little more confident on average about public speaking. My children went to school in Germany and I found that aspect of the school system quite positive. Might just be my own experience, though. And my experience has also been that most British people "on the street" or in customer-facing roles are polite and friendly, so your description of them as potentially stand-offish sounds a bit off.

As I say, in any case, better instructions would avoid the issue in future.

Op, people are deliberately misunderstanding your post.

At no point did she say this was "All brits" in the nation, she is specifically talking about the British teams in her company. Is it really that difficult for you all to understand that? If your company had teams from all over the world and the ONLY people (note people, not person) are refusing to put their camera on are all from the same nation then its really not unreasonable to question if this is a cultural thing. Once again, the OP did not all "All brits everywhere" she has only referred to the ones in her company.

I've been in a lot of calls lately with a mix of video and no video. I tend to join with video and switch it off if my broadband is playing up or I hear the kids opening the door.

Some people with multiple monitors don't have their webcam in a suitable position, so never use it. Some people always use it.

I think either way is fair enough really. I do prefer it when I'm having a chat to my manager though, it feels like face to face now.

Blimey.

I'm struck by the poster who's still got Easter Eggs left.

And to anyone who feels self-conscious about seeing themselves on screen, you don't have to look at yourself. Most systems allow you to choose a view that doesn't include yourself.

Op my dh manages a team over many countries. He's very used to and sensitive at cultural differences. I'd say you need to learn to be as well because you sound very judgemental.

DS is very lucky to have started a grad scheme after lockdown. Most employers have scrapped or postponed them. However he has had to start his career WFH and meet all his new colleagues on Teams.
They insisted everyone had video on for the first few meetings but after that they are off because so many people have rubbish bandwidth.

I suspect the internet is more reliable in many of the other countries OP is referring to.

Its Friday OP. Chill, have glass of wine, a chocolate bar or something even more British than a video call without a video, a chippy supper! Its really not the end of the world and not worth getting so het up over

Where's an anthropologist when you need one?

I don’t turn on my camera because I’m not white and people seem to listen to me more and give my input more respect when they can’t see my face. If I can, I also turn off the audio too and communicate solely by chat. So others would not know I am a woman. Just Dr Plan. I’m in a male dominated field and have many times seen the difference in respect and response based on interactions where they think I am a senior white man versus when they realise I’m a youthful looking minority woman.

I don’t turn on my camera because I’m not white and people seem to listen to me more and give my input more respect when they can’t see my face.

I don't have a photo on my outlook for this exact reason. My name sounds quite English so people often assume I'm white which gives me an added benefit.

I think in a work setting, you can "demand or expect". If it's a work call, on a work laptop, then your manager can ask you to show your face. Just as that manager might ask to see you in person if you were in the office rather than doing things on the phone.

Is it a particularly British thing though?

As others have said, it is a broadband issue. I had to do a lot of home based video meetings last year with a lot of different nationalities and if I turned my video on the whole thing crashed. Even with video off it was constantly lagging so I didn't like to say much in case I was accidentally speaking over someone.

I don't know anyone who would describe themselves as a 'Brit'.

I'm English. DH is Scottish. But clearly all "Brits" are the same in some people's eyes.

(Wanders off to do whatever it is "Brits" do when supposed to be on a video call)

@GreytExpectations

I don’t turn on my camera because I’m not white and people seem to listen to me more and give my input more respect when they can’t see my face.

I don't have a photo on my outlook for this exact reason. My name sounds quite English so people often assume I'm white which gives me an added benefit.

Yes, and same for me with LinkedIn. No photo on my profile. Glad I am not the only one who experiences this.