In the past few months, many of us have had to transition to working remotely. Work related video calls have become a regular part of many peoples’ lives. That being said, maybe you find video conference calls to be awkward. Perhaps you never quite know how to act on camera and have been a bit stressed since starting to work from home. If that’s the case, don’t worry, we’ve got you! In this guide to video conference call etiquette, we’ll give you some tips for getting through your virtual meeting smoothly.
Regular manners still apply
Even if you’re working from home, regular workplace manners are still a must! Make sure you attend all virtual meetings on time. Don’t skip greetings or introductions just because business is conducted online. Do your best to make sure everyone on the conference call feels included. One way you can do this is by making sure everyone can see or hear you. It can be hard to see everyone in a virtual meeting, especially if there are many participants. That being said, it’s important to pay attention to body language and facial expressions as much as you can. Try to gauge your conversational partners’ reactions to what you’re saying, and adjust accordingly. Likewise, be careful of interrupting or speaking over other conference call participants. It can be very hard to jump back into a video call conversation once you’re cut off. Finally, you wouldn’t just start eating your lunch during a regular work meeting, would you? Don’t eat while on a Zoom or Skype call. The rules still apply. Almost any behavior that would be rude in an in person meeting is rude on a video conference call.
Make sure everyone’s on the same page
If you’re organizing a video conference call, make sure everyone is aware of the plans and expectations for the call. Contact participants before the meeting and let them know how to participate. Don’t forget to send out a Zoom link or a Google Hangouts invite. If you’re meeting with people in different time zones, make sure to tell each participant what time the meeting will be at for them. Distribute any documents that are relevant to the meeting before the call. If you’re planning on recording the video call, inform all participants and get their consent beforehand. No one likes to find out they were being recorded just as the video call is ending.
Minimize distractions
It can be hard to create the perfect work from home environment. Many of us live in small apartments or have noisy children running around in the background. That being said, it’s best to minimize distractions as much as possible. Tell your family that you will be attending a meeting and ask them not to interrupt you unless there is an emergency. Avoid conference calling in rooms that are close to a busy street or next to the baby’s nursery. Close windows to muffle sounds from outside of your home. In the event that background noise is a significant problem for you, consider investing in a white noise machine. Additionally, if your background is messy, clean it up! Alternatively, if you’re using Zoom, you can use a virtual background to make your space appear more professional.
After reconfiguring your video conference call space to avoid distracting fellow participants, make sure to avoid things that distract you. Avoid looking at your phone or checking your email during the meeting. As we said earlier, any behavior that would be rude in an in person meeting is still rude in a virtual one.
Dress appropriately
We’ve all heard jokes about wearing a nice shirt or suit jacket with pajama pants (or only underwear!) for video conference calls. As tempting as it may be to relax a little, it’s best to wear professional bottoms while on a video call for work. If you’re doing business in Japan, you might have to bow at some point. There may also be an out of reach item that you need to stand up and grab during your video call. To avoid being embarrassed in the event that your conference call partners see the lower half of your body, put on some nice pants or a skirt.
It’s also a good idea to see what you look like on camera before your conference call. Many video call apps let you see how you’ll appear on the call before you’re connected to anyone else. You might be surprised – we often look very different on camera than we do in the mirror. Take a moment to make sure you’re happy with the way your hair and makeup look. If you’re not satisfied with your appearance, try changing the lighting in your room or placing the webcam at eye level or higher. Just like on Instagram, lighting and angles can change everything.
Avoid technical issues
Oftentimes, technical issues happen unexpectedly and aren’t anyone’s fault. They’re just an unfortunate part of working remotely. However, it’s a good idea to test out your devices before the call. That way, if you’re going to be late due to technical difficulties, you can at least let everyone else know. Go online to check that your Internet is running smoothly. Don’t forget to test your hardware as well. Most video call applications have features that allow you to check if your speakers, camera, and microphone are working correctly.
If you encounter persistent difficulties with your Internet connection, you may want to consider switching service providers. Similarly, if your computer is old and frequently having issues, you might want to get a new one. Some companies are helping their workers cover the costs of work from home equipment, so make sure to talk to your manager if technical issues are a significant problem.
Double check to make sure the call has ended
When you’ve made it to the end of your conference call, double check to make sure the call has ended. You don’t want to accidentally broadcast yourself doing something embarrassing to your co-workers. To avoid humiliating situations, it’s best to close video call applications as soon as your call ends.
