Virtual meetings and events are now the new norm. Whether you’re working from home, attending an engaging virtual summit (hint hint) or even just doing a catch up with an old friend there are certain etiquettes to follow and make it an enjoyable experience for everyone. Check out a few of the pet peeves that has been shared with us.
- Mute yourself when not speaking. The most common annoyance is when people don’t mute themselves, even though you’re not speaking, microphones are awfully sensitive and can pick up all sorts of background noise.
- Be punctual. In a large physical meeting, you might be able to sneak in via a back door and not affect the speaker. If you’re joining with video, it can be quite distracting when your face suddenly pops up. Turning up earlier will also give you time to troubleshoot issues (we’ve all experienced these) and get you brownie points.
- Test your equipment out first. With the vast amounts of updates going around, your webcam may suddenly lose compatibility and function, what could work yesterday may not work today. Testing your equipment out beforehand will save you a lot of pain and stress.
- Wear appropriate clothing. Company dependent but if you’re seeing clients or representing your company, don’t rock up in your pyjamas or Hawaiian shirt. Pick something you would wear in a physical meeting. If you’re absolutely sure you won’t need to stand up, you may risk business on top, comfort on bottom approach.
- Set your camera. As an Instagram model will tell you, it’s all about angles, while you may not be prepping for a catwalk, make sure your camera is at a suitable angle and frame. No nostril shots or half head appearances. A common mistake is also staring at the video feed or script if speaking, remember to stare at your camera lens when speaking.
As more people are set to work remotely and several events switching going virtual, video calling is fast becoming the go to communication approach. Don’t break any of the above and you’re already in good hands.
By: Matthew Lin
