To think mandatory video calls is a ridiculous request?

[Lizzie523]

After nearly a year of working from home our manager has requested we all turn our cameras on for every daily team meeting (which is every day).

I can't say what my colleagues reasons are for turning theirs off some days, but I tend to do it on days my mental health isnt great or I've had a terribly sleepless night due to the stress of this whole situation. Probably once or twice a week. They are arguing we should appear like we were in the office - but in the office we got on with our work and were not having a daily meeting or sitting in front of all our co workers faces.

The meetings are usually pointless check ins where no one has a thing to say. It is always the same extroverts talking about personal stuff. The fact the videos on is now mandatory because they say so has annoyed me quite a bit. AIBU?

Mmmmmm, what a shame, the camera on my laptop keeps playing up/not working........... so sorry. That would be my standard response.

Our internal meetings are all camera on now and I do actually really like being able to see my colleagues (and their dogs). We mute and unmute as necessary (DD asking if she can have a snack for example) but if its a large meeting then we are all muted but visible.

I actually find it quite good to have a reason to get dressed, I was developing a bad habit of being in my pyjamas until at least 10am and I was not in the right mindset like that for working. We are a casual dress office when in the office but just being dressed helps me feel more ready for work.

I think daily checkins are pointless, we all say hi etc on the Teams chat and we get regular HR calls and "tea break" meetings every few months which are a random mixed group of staff and a manager just to have some down time and let us see other faces.

We are still allowed to call in sick if we would have called in sick normally, wfh doesn't mean we have to be 100% on it every day. Don't be a martyr.

Omfg how is this all about teachers?

Oh, and I didn't have a webcam so my company sent me one.

I agree OP, I detest enforced cameras on culture as an extension of the patriarchal notion that women have to be tarted up and preened to be “presentable” yet men need a clean face and shirt

To me it feels unnecessarily intrusive, and it’s something that I will actively enquire about when looking for new roles. The businesses I work with pay me for my clinical expertise, not my clothing choices or whether I wish to wear make up on a daily basis. If a client/patient requests a zoom consultation I will happily oblige, but the people I work with on a day to do basis do not need to see my face to know I’m engaged, productive and participating.

It’s always the same micro-managing, presenteeism encouraging, “let’s touch base”, extroverted wang-heads that have an issue with someone having their camera off as well...

Seems like there’s a real cultural divide and in just the same way as many posters feel no camera = no participation, I can’t get my head around it being essential. It’s rare to turn a camera on in my organisation (and I reckon it comes of long use of phone conferencing) and most third parties I deal with don’t bother either. It most certainly is possible to hold productive meetings without seeing faces. I have worked extensively with people I’ve never seen. You get to know their voices, humour, style perfectly well.

What I really don’t understand is why cameras need to be on to prove people aren’t in their pyjamas. I mean, why do you really need to know? We dress up for work because we know we’ll be seen - being seen just to ensure we’re dressed smartly enough is topsy-turvy. Unless there are MH concerns? And surely that could be dealt with by checking in one-to one rather than insisting on group video calls.

I completely understand why some people hate cameras. I wouldn’t go that far, but it does make me self-conscious and I find myself thinking about what I look like and my facial expression too much. It’s not the same in the office as I tend to know when people are looking in my direction - on-screen, gallery view means your miniature face can be in every participant’s line of vision at all times! I get why that would cause anxiety.

Exceptions are things like grievances, interviews, meeting new colleagues. I do feel sympathy for the pp who hasn’t even seen some new colleagues’ faces.

@Throckmorton

It's rude to be on mute?! No, it's courteous to mute yourself so everyone else doesn't have to hear background noise on every call!!

This

No one wants to hear the background noise in a large meeting and echo cos people have got their volume at stupid level causing lots of noise

Unless you are speaking (then background noise is unavoidable) or in a small meeting use mute

Someone got offended when I muted them (it doesn’t say who did it which wound them up even more) I explained it was because we could all hear them having another call and not paying attention to my meeting

I don't see this as an issue. If you've had a crap night for the above reasons- would you not attend the meeting in person? When WFH trying to keep team cohesion is tough, and also they want to know you're actually focused on the meeting, not playing candy crush and making copious coffees. Different if they wanted them on all day, but for a meeting daily- more than reasonable.

Of course it's about teachers. Literally everything is about teachers.

I manage a large team and would be really annoyed if anyone had their camera off as a matter of course. It’s really rude, IMO.

I don’t care if they’re in hoodies or pyjamas, but I do expect people to look at me while I’m speaking with them, and vice versa.

Also, as an endo sufferer, I’m at that being used as an excuse. If you’re too ill to work, you need to take time off sick.

Nobody can force anybody to make their internet and camera work on a laptop, you are in the hands of your wi fi provider....................................!!!!!

If you do switch camera on ALWAYS tell your partner/other household members. Not that anyone would wander into bedroom naked after bath for clothes as camera is alway off or anything....

Presumably you're being paid for this time on camera. And presumably you'd turn into work in normal times, even if you hadn't slept well or had a massive zit on your nose. It's not a beauty contest.

@WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants he suggested a zoom "catch up" and we all went "no" so that was that. We socialise via a work what's app and things like what's the new door code/the system is down goes on there for quick views
4 WFH, and about 18 in the office

So many meetings! Does anybody actually do any work?

[quote Lizzie523]@CherryBlossomTree7 At one they actually requested we try to look happier on camera. That went down well.

I think now everyone is plodding on but people are genuinely struggling and they dont take our wellbeing seriously.[/quote]
I'm not surprised. In your place I'd be happy for them to hear my voice but would not be prepared to be on screen (I could then have my meeting from bed ;-) ). Let your screen develop a fault.

@SD1978

I don't see this as an issue. If you've had a crap night for the above reasons- would you not attend the meeting in person? When WFH trying to keep team cohesion is tough, and also they want to know you're actually focused on the meeting, not playing candy crush and making copious coffees. Different if they wanted them on all day, but for a meeting daily- more than reasonable.

If a company has a problem with staff playing games and making coffee then I would suggest that the entire meeting is probably pointless, or at least the attendence of said people is not necessary.

You can always tell if a person who needs to be engaged in a call is not engaged without the need for a camera to be on. If a person is sat there the entire time on mute they probably didn't need to be there in the first place.

Ours are always off and no one has insisted they be on thank goodness. There's no need for them to be on, no one needs to see each other when discussing work.

Now this has been fine for almost a year but now they are making a big deal about it

It might have been fine for you but clearly not for your management, they still need to manage their staff despite the current situation and are looking for ways to improve communication.

and to people abovw saying you get the camera on and do the job you are paid for, WELL, I did not take this job to sit in inane meetings every morning where a sexist culture often shines through via conversation topics and with babies and dogs noising up the backgrounds

Nobody took their job on for that, but (sexist issues aside) this how many of us have to work now. If you have managed in the past to be physically present in an office all day without needing to lie down in between meetings you can manage a few video calls a day from the comfort of your own home.

@VodselForDinner

I manage a large team and would be really annoyed if anyone had their camera off as a matter of course. It’s really rude, IMO.

I don’t care if they’re in hoodies or pyjamas, but I do expect people to look at me while I’m speaking with them, and vice versa.

Also, as an endo sufferer, I’m at that being used as an excuse. If you’re too ill to work, you need to take time off sick.

I really don't get this "I expect people to look at me" nonsense.

You have heard of the telephone, right? How on earth did you cope before widespread usage of video calling?

You have heard of the telephone, right? How on earth did you cope before widespread usage of video calling?

By seeing people in person. Obviously.

You should have your camera on and be in work mode. Or you're not well enough to work. Which is it? Why don't you go in to work it might spark you up a bit.

@VodselForDinner

You have heard of the telephone, right? How on earth did you cope before widespread usage of video calling?

By seeing people in person. Obviously.

So every single time you've ever needed to talk to someone you've gone to see them in person?

Must make calling Asda when your online shop is late a bit of a pain in the arse.

I think a lot of workplaces are thinking about mental health more these days and how to create a more compassionate environment while getting the job done.

Some of the replies above clearly demonstrate this is not the case for many of you. There is no point in making comparisons about 'if you were in the office...' - I'm not in the office due to a global pandemic. The consequences of that pandemic to peoples lives must be taken into account

And the PP saying 'I have endo and dont see that as an excuse' - well that is your experience, not mine. I have clearly stated having the option to work from home has allowed me to keep working on those few days of the year when it is particularly bad.

People of my generation will be asking about what is in place to support employees and if people insist on staying rigid and doing things the old they will miss out on a lot of fresh talent and new ways of thinking...for the better.

I don't require video on for all of the meetings, but the rule is 'more on than off'. Non-verbal cues are impossible to spot without it. That being said, I do one on one check ins with all staff in my dpt once per month. More work for me but its worth the effort. Putting camera on is also very important for integration of new employees, training but also for building cohesion of the team. It is easier to detach or misinterpret things when you don't see someone's face.

It is interesting that some PPs consider muting to be rude. In our company it is the opposite - it is considered rude not to be on mute unless you're speaking or wanting to speak. A lot of people take notes on their computers while at the meeting and all the typing and background noise can become very distracting when you have more than 3 people on the call.