Do you go on video on teams meetings?

[Terracottafarmers]

We all work from home as our company is international and we have some colleagues local to each other, others up in Scotland or in America for example. Do you always go on camera for internal teams meetings, client meetings or when another colleague calls you? I've always gone on camera out of respect but sometimes I'm really not up for it, especially if I look like crap. I've started not going on camera if I do not feel like it, but my manager insists that we do. Wanted to get others thoughts.

It is rude not to have your camera on. You don’t even know if they are there. Not being camera ready isn’t an excuse if you are working from home and the kind of thing that gives wfh a bad reputation.

I am always on camera. Sometimes when I'm presenting I need to turn my camera off as it can affect my connection speed, but that's the only time I turn it off and I explain why I'm doing it to my colleagues. Having my camera off during presentations is also helpful as I can have a cheeky slurp of my cuppa or refer to some paperwork, if needed.

It is not rude whatsoever.

It is rude not to

Always have my camera on and always ensure that I look decent so that I can. I would not turn up to work without being on camera meeting ready as it is rude. I fully wfh.

Yes always, and in external ones,

Depends on the meeting. I tend to join meetings (unless it's a massive large one) with camera on to say hello, then I might turn it off for a while. One-to-one calls I always do with camera on, and we have one regular meeting where the consensus has been agreed of cameras off.

I have it noted down in my reasonable adjustments though (I ask for very little and give a heck of a lot back to the team) that I may well turn my camera off to reduce the load of me having to socially mask and to allow me to focus on the content of the meeting - I'm diagnosed as autistic and generally I don't tend to ask for much in the way of accommodations for this, but cameras on does add massively to the mental load and exhausts me.

We're generally very laid back about these things though which is one reason I love my team.

I have my camera on because I know it’s just the “done” thing where I work and considered rude not to. But if someone else doesn’t, I really couldn't care less. I don’t personally find it rude, I just know other people do.

Nope. Nobody does, it’s just a phonecall then really

I'm self employed and attend meetings and training quite regularly. Anything where I'm interacting, camera on and I think anyone who doesn't do the same is discourteous. If it's a large conference where I'm listening to a lecture I'll switch it off from time to time.

it's an office culture thing - my last job nobody had camera on, this one everyone has to. I think it's a reasonable thing for a manager to request as it is much nicer to see people than to speak to a blank screen screen- however if there isn't any office policy, request is all they can do.

If one colleague is not doing so I think it would be fine to say to your manager in a 1-1 - you've asked me to put my camera on, but I notice X never does so. If the office policy is that cameras have to be on then that's fine, but it should apply to everyone. If there isn't a policy about them being on or off then I'd feel more comfortable keeping mine off.

Then it's back on her. If you're a manager then your role is to manage. She can decide whether it's a battle worth fighting.

I think not having camera on is rude only if you're the only one and it is an established expectation. If nobody has their camera/only presenter has it on then I don't think it is rude. Being the only one with camera on would be weird.

My senior partner is really pointed about this - when we get on a call and someone is there without video he will call them out by name saying "we can hear you, but we can't see you!" repeatedly until the other person turns on their camera or explains why they can't turn their camera on.

Wow, what a twat. In my calls I might remind people to put their cameras on if they can but if not that's fine. Your colleagues are adults and shouldn't have to explain why they don't want to turn their camera on. I am usually on camera but if I wasn't and someone started calling me out like this I would keep the camera off just to annoy them.

Not work but my DD said during Covid the teachers all said how awful it was talking to blankness. My DD was pretty good at having her camera on and a teacher might ask ‘ok did you all get that? [My DD] is nodding so I’m going to go with that’. Too bad if a kid didn’t.
I think it’s rude not to have your camera on. We communicate non verbally too. A quick glance around and whomever is talking can register if what they are saying is being understood, received well, if someone looks like they might want to add something, if some one is not engaging.

I sometimes don't tum mine on for town hall type meetings where I am essentially just listening and there are loads of participants but any regular meeting where you might contribute you should have your camera on imo.

Yes, I think it’s rude and unprofessional not to. Unless there are genuine connectivity issues and removing camera helps make the connection more stable.

I usually have my camera on and I’d alway have it on for an external client. But at the same time I managed really well doing old fashioned conference calls using a telephone for years so I know how to run a successful meeting without cameras. I pity those who don’t have that skill set.

The main thing that bothers me is employers have managed to put cameras in the homes of millions of employees with very little pushback.

Yes, it would be really odd not to be seen. The only exceptions are when we have a massive meeting of 50 plus people.

I always go on camera for uni stuff, which tends to be in smaller groups. If I'm not contributing, I'll leave the mic off, but the camera on, so those who are speaking, giving a talk etc can see a responsive face rather than a blank screen. I prefer it myself - no matter how crap you think you look, you are better than a screen with nothing on it except your name to indicate that you are still logged on. For all the speaker knows, you could have wandered off for a nap!

Yes same. I think staying off camera is just part of the culture that's happening where some people who WFH just shrink into their own little worlds. You wouldn't go into a face to face meeting with a bag over your head.

I ought to....but I rarely do. yes, I realise it's rude.

My office PC has no webcam, so I actually can't.

When I'm WFH I could go on camera, but I'm usually in deep shadow because there's a window behind me. Also, on home days I'm usually make-up free with grubby hair, so I rarely feel like showing my face to the world.

You're working, you're attending a meeting, look as tidy as you would if you were attending face to face. I think cameras on should be required in the workplace personally, for reasons already given by other posters.

Always on, unless it's a big meeting such as a townhall etc where there are too many people to fit in the screen, and I don't have to speak.
It is rude not to and it makes the virtual interaction even less engaging. I am on camera even if I am ill or not as put together. If I am ok to work I am ok to be on camera.

Why is it rude? What is so offensive about someone not having a camera on? What specifically is unprofessional about it? People are throwing these words out without really explaining why.

This thinking is quite ignorant and signals a lack of ability to understand that your way isn’t the only way. Differences don’t equal negatives.

I think not putting your camera on shows a lack of being present and fully participating and engaging. It is also very simply rude to have your camera off when you are in a meeting with cameras on. You are hiding away and removing another form of communication .

we have a workplace policy of camera’s being on outside of town hall type meetings.