Video conferencing has become very popular over the last few years. Even before the pandemic, a growing number of companies were resorting to using videoconferencing tools. Since many companies were forced to use technology to encourage social isolation, videoconferencing has become more prevalent than ever before. It is expected to grow at a rate of 11.45% a year through 2026.
Around 80% of employees state that they have used video conferencing calls to conduct one-on-one meetings. Around 45% of organizational teams use video calls to keep in touch on at least a weekly basis.
Although videoconferencing has become a lot more popular these days, many employees are still struggling to figure it out. The learning curve will be a lot easier if you understand the expectations and best practices. You will need a secure enterprise video platform and an understanding of the etiquette that is expected of you.
Here are some helpful tips that will make video conferencing a breeze. You will have more productive meetings and build stronger relationships with your team members and other connections.
Dress professionally before starting your call
There are a number of reasons that people have started to enjoy working from home during the pandemic. One of the biggest reasons is that they don’t have to put on a suit every day.
While it is fine too dress in casual attire most of the day, you should still dress professionally for professional conference calls. You might be able to get away with dressing down if you are having a video conference with a couple of coworkers that do you have built synergy with. However, you are going to need to dress better if you are meeting with senior management or clients.
Be aware of potentially embarrassing material on your screen before sharing it
You need to pay close attention to what you share on your stream. When you are working in the office, you are probably much more conservative about the content that you are looking at online. You will probably be a lot laxer about what you do online while you are working from home.
This might not be a big problem in general. However, it can cause a lot of complications and misunderstandings if you share inappropriate material on your screen. Since many video conferencing tools let you share your screen, you need to be aware of this concern. The most obvious problem would be if you have other browser tabs open that indicate that you are looking at adult content, but there are other issues that you should be concerned about too.
You should pay attention to the background on your desktop. Does it have any images that anybody would find offensive? You should also see if you are browsing for any controversial things during work hours.
Even looking at non-controversial material could reflect badly on you during a video conference. People might get the idea that you are spending a lot of time doing non-work-related activities on the clock, which is going to raise some eyebrows. Again, this might not be such a big deal if you are speaking with your peers. However, it can be a cause for concern if you are talking to your boss.
You are going to want to pay close attention to anything that you have on your screen before starting the video conference. Make sure to close any browser tabs and documents that might reflect negatively on you or give people the idea that you are not spending your time doing work.
Be aware of your body language and show that you are paying attention
You are probably in a much more laid-back mood when you are working from home than you would be in a meeting in the office. It is easy to drift off and be tempted to eat, check your emails or pivot to other distractions.
You need to resist this temptation. It is easy to forget that people will see your video feed and be able to tell if you are engaged in the meeting. Try to maintain facial expressions that show you are interested in the discussion and are clearly paying attention.
Take notes quietly
Sometimes, the meeting will be recorded, so taking notes won’t be necessary. Your team might also have someone responsible for taking meeting minutes.
Unfortunately, this won’t always be the case. In some meetings, you are going to be responsible for taking notes yourself. You need to do so as quietly and respectfully as possible.
Whenever possible, it is best to turn off your microphone when you are typing. If that is not an option, you should avoid typing notes about things that are not absolutely relevant. This minimizes any feedback in ways from your computer, which could be a distraction to anybody else. You should also type as quietly as possible.