…new job, to ask for experiences of Zoom/Teams with camera on

[The4thForm]

Newish job and mostly working from home. It seems part of company culture that cameras are always on for calls.

In general that’s a good way to get to know and see colleagues for me. However, it can be 4 to 5 hours of this a day.

It also means I feel I have to be ready, on camera, do some tidy up before hand etc. My workspace looks professional, but I’m working from a small corner of the bedroom (good desk and comfy chair)

Any advice, thoughts, experience welcome. I’m finding it a bit tiring.

@The4thForm

Newish job and mostly working from home. It seems part of company culture that cameras are always on for calls.

In general that’s a good way to get to know and see colleagues for me. However, it can be 4 to 5 hours of this a day.

It also means I feel I have to be ready, on camera, do some tidy up before hand etc. My workspace looks professional, but I’m working from a small corner of the bedroom (good desk and comfy chair)

Any advice, thoughts, experience welcome. I’m finding it a bit tiring.

You can blur the video image so they can't see the background

If you are feeling self conscious because of seeing yourself, covering up the box with you in it or learning not to look at it can help.
If you need to get up and do something i just briefly turn my camera off.
I actually have a bamboo screen around my bedroom corner, and I have felt a better work life separation and improved concentration since I had the physical barrier. But I might be weird. It didn't help that dh asked me about my work every time we were getting ready for bed but he's stopped now. On pain of being thrown out of his fancy office he was ensconced in before I started wfh.

I think it is perfectly ok to be off camera if you have had enough after hours of virtual meetings. Just use the "wifi a bit dodgy today" excuse if you are joining a meeting where you are not front of stage/lots of other people are joining also.

But definitely keep it on for smaller meetings/meetings where your input is more crucial or you need to make a positive impression.

And don't worry about your background - the novelty of virtual meetings and looking at people's stuff has worn off I think now! Same for "hilarious" video bombing by children/pets - nobody cares/is interested anymore! Blurring function excellent in case your background is really terrible

@EverNapping if you want to protect your skin sunscreen is your best friend! Ever time you turn on your computer, you're exposing your skin to damaging blue light. Using a blue screen protector and sunscreen helps to limit the damage

Our company is very considerate of employees wellbeing. It understands the impact of camera fatigue and back to back zoom calls and actively gives advice including asking that meetings start or end 5-10mins before or after the hour, asking for breaks in long meetings, allowing free choice for cameras on/off especially in longer meetings. There are some short meetings where the hosts asks for cameras on so we can all see each other, or asks that people put their camera on when speaking, but it isn't a ridiculous blanket controlling your camera must be on at every call.

Crap I did not know that! Okay, new habit to add to daily routine. Thanks!

Blur your background.

This is unfortunately the new normal.

You have to treat working time as though you are in the office, even when you are not

@vivainsomnia

How would it be a y different to going to work in an open office. Imagine that's what you're doing, except it's quieter and the travelling is it from the bedroom/kitchen/bathroom rather than commuting.

Psychologically it’s very different.

Hi over the last 15 months I am working full time from home which means about 80% of my working week on MS Teams which is exhausting, mostly with camera on. I only have camera off if it’s a very big meeting or someone is presenting/sharing screen. At times I request my team put on their camera. I want to see they are connected to the discussion.

My set up is I have my own home office. I have my laptop raised. Just on an upturned storage basket. I have a ring light. My organisation has corporate backgrounds to use.

I get ready for my working day in a very similar way to when I was in the office but in a newsreader kind of way 🤣. So I’m up, showered, hair washed with some make up on. I always have a smart blouse/top on which is what can be seen but mostly wearing leggings or jeans and slippers! I find if I’m looking presentable I feel more confident and seeing my pic on the screen less distracting/annoying x

@Tootingbec

I think it is perfectly ok to be off camera if you have had enough after hours of virtual meetings. Just use the "wifi a bit dodgy today" excuse if you are joining a meeting where you are not front of stage/lots of other people are joining also.

But definitely keep it on for smaller meetings/meetings where your input is more crucial or you need to make a positive impression.

And don't worry about your background - the novelty of virtual meetings and looking at people's stuff has worn off I think now! Same for "hilarious" video bombing by children/pets - nobody cares/is interested anymore! Blurring function excellent in case your background is really terrible

Tbf, the "dodgy WiFi" is also a bit passé now too (I've used it to end friends' chats but wouldn't dream of doing it for work, because after 15 months of the whole world getting used to remote working, it doesn't really pass muster anymore, and every organisation spots it's always the same people doing it)

Interruptions by children is just plain unprofessional.

@WeAllHaveWings

Our company is very considerate of employees wellbeing. It understands the impact of camera fatigue and back to back zoom calls and actively gives advice including asking that meetings start or end 5-10mins before or after the hour, asking for breaks in long meetings, allowing free choice for cameras on/off especially in longer meetings. There are some short meetings where the hosts asks for cameras on so we can all see each other, or asks that people put their camera on when speaking, but it isn't a ridiculous blanket controlling your camera must be on at every call.

Yes, we have 45 minute meetings only. Initially because of the Zoom free limit but now because of the recognition of the importance of synchronous/asynchronous time.

With respect to the audio only calls and sex noises, that’s what you get withe the 1st gen apple ear pods outdoors. They pick up a lot of wind noise, and breathing sounds too.

We record some meetings for play back, I was late dialling in and walking up several flights of stairs using EarPods. I listened back afterwards and it sounded awful , like someone was going down on me and I came three times. At one point I said: hold on I’m almost there [for getting to the front door]

As a result, especially if I take a call outdoors, it’s always video on.

I use the new Google wireless earphones. They work well outdoors too, no jokes of sex noises made to me. Outdoor I'm inclined to go on mute anyways.

We're kinda expected to be on camera for calls,it's the norm. Totally used to it at this point. We also used zoom a lot in be the office too so not really a big change for me.

Presentable for the waist up (anything goes below) and blurred background is my norm, separate Logitech webcam used for better angle and light

I’ve just gone back to front line NHS but was working from home during part of the pandemic for personal reasons. Anyhow, one woman just point blank refused to put on her camera during our regular team meetings. In the end the boss just stopped asking! Just saying 😂

What’s tiring about looking presentable and keeping a clean workspace? Surely they’re basic requirements

With Teams, as soon as someone shares their screen some people seem to fall off the display. I always turn my camera off at that point and look gormless for a few minutes.

@JellyTumble

What’s tiring about looking presentable and keeping a clean workspace? Surely they’re basic requirements

Seeing yourself constantly, for one thing.

Reading 2-dimensional faces rather than 3 is another.

One of the things that depresses me on these threads is so many people still thinking that just because something is OK for them, then nobody else should have a problem. I don't have a problem with having my camera on, but some people do just get overloaded by it. Everyone is different - and that's a good thing, because it makes for a better workforce. One size doesn't fit all and we need to work around that.

Ask if you can go sit in the office?