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!

We have much stricter rules on Gdpr and also are more reserved as a nation. You don't like it? Tough. That's the attitude of the many in the nation and it won't change for you.

Am I reading this?!

Video conferencing (if conducted on a secure platform etc) does not breach GDPR guidelines.

People wilfully misuse GDPR on here when they mean "I'm obsessively private and I don't want anyone else to see me".

That's not what GDPR is about, and most people know this.

I, like most people who are finding themselves working from home all of a sudden, don't mind video but I do find it very draining. If I can possibly help it, the calls that don't require me to be on video, I switch it off. Most people I know feel the same. My manager called me for a scheduled 1:1 yesterday and asked if is prefer a video call - I could feel his relief when I explained my position on video calls and he agreed completely.

What if the Brits were just looking after their energy levels?

If seeing each other was important in the first 5 minutes, did whoever was leading that part of the call actually ask everybody to turn on their videos briefly? If not, why is your beef with the participants and not the presenter?

I don’t have mine on. I’m working from my kitchen with the kids walking in and out - I resent my house having been turned into a workplace and don’t want my kitchen viewed by colleagues. I also dyed my hair pink at the start of lockdown (likely not back till end of year) and like to choose who sees that.

I'm home schooling and dealing with a 10 month old who nursery have delayed admission for while I wfh so no, I don't have my video on.

I was chatting to a friend about this the other day. She pretends her camera isn't working when she is working from home in her pyjamas or similar. Her job involves international calls at odd times of the day.

I find voice calls far easier as I don't feel self-conscious about my mannerisms, terrible lockdown hair or showing evidence of being distracted.

I would also wonder if it was, say, 7 a.m. in the UK, hence only the manager being dressed up. Work normally starts a bit later in the UK compared to the continent, and with the hour's difference it could have been quite an unsociable hour.

Can only speak for myself...
It takes up more bandwidth to have cameras on.
The video feed is normally jagged & stilted. It doesn't look good. Video seems to make sound worse, and sound matters more than video.

I don't have a camera or any way to get reimbursed for cost of one. I'm > £100 out of pocket on work-related expenses pre-lockdown & no way to get reimbursed for them. I'm not buying an unnecessary camera.

I can use personal laptop to have video but then I can't do screen sharing from my work filestore if I use personal laptop. So utility wins and no camera is fine.

I've done local govt, NHS, colleague & WHO calls with no camera. People are generally cool with no camera.

Zoom backdrops are cool, though, I agree on that!