POLL: Do you turn on video for online meetings?

[shaynaatl]

My job normally has a high number of online meetings, and it's extremely rare for anyone to turn on their video. So I find it interesting that I see a lot of news stories about video work meetings during this pandemic time.  

[Cappy]

I never used to use video, but in this Pandemic 100% of people have used video. I think folks are craving more human interaction.

[maclowe]

Apr 9, 2020 8:58:44 GMT -5 Cappy said:

I never used to use video, but in this Pandemic 100% of people have used video. I think folks are craving more human interaction.

This exactly.  I see a lot more people using video now that before.  

[just]

We had a Town Hall on Tuesday with 300 people and over 200 of them had their videos on. It was awesome to see, but honestly, I don't see the point in those events.

I turn it on if I'm dressed appropriately/have brushed my hair, which is rarely these days unless I'm meeting with my direct team or boss.

[ECB]

I don't but more because I'm never dressed/ done up and I don't feel like getting ready for a few meetings here and there.

But I LIKE video. I like seeing other people. It does make me feel more connected.

[lilypad1126]

Yes, I do. I don't really care if I'm done up for most meetings, and even in a tshirt and ponytail, I'm still "overdressed" compared to a lot of colleagues. Certainly the meetings I have with outside constituents or the big boss, I put in a little more effort, but I really think people don't care what I look like, they just want to SEE someone who isn't in their immediate household.

[wanderingback]

I would say it’s about 50% for all the video meetings I’ve done lately. None of us are done up at all, sometimes our medical director is laying on the couch. I turn it off if I’m doing other things like cooking during a meeting.

[Mrs.flang]

Our old conferencing system didn't have video but we usually didn't have as many people dialing remotely before. Our company got zoom when we moved 100% to WFH and most people are using video. It has seemed its easier for the meeting leader to keep track of everyone when they're on video vs not.

[acr]

Always. We are a global company so video meetings are the norm even when we're at our offices.

The only time video may be off is if someone's internet is struggling.

[k3am]

I've never done a video conference for work and don't plan to start now.

DH on the other hand does 90% of is calls on video.

[twilightmv]

All the managers and supervisors were given webcams, so if it's a meeting of all managers it's expected we use the cameras. My staff doesn't all have cameras and they prefer no video, so staff meetings are calls only. I'm used to the video now so it's not awkward anymore.

[mbcdefg]

I don’t. But I would if someone requested me to, or if I was on a call where everyone else was on video. In all the meetings I’ve attended since the outbreak it’s been about half and half.

I work remote anyway so I’m used to only being on the phone. For my team, about half are remote and the other half are in one office together.

[goldengirlz]

This whole situation is funny to me because we’ve always used video conferencing in our offices — for years! We’re a large, global company so it’s not unusual to be working with someone in another city or even another country. In fact, even here, we have multiple offices across our metro area. It’s the rare meeting that doesn’t require VC and all of our conference rooms are wired for it.

When I first joined, I thought the video conferencing for every. little. thing. was so weird. So weird. Like, why can’t we just discuss this whatever-issue over the phone? But now that I’ve been drinking the Kool-Aid for four years, I’m like, huh, it’s weird NOT to be doing a video meeting. It also amuses me when I overhear DH trying to do a video call and people have terrible etiquette. Little things like muting yourself when you’re not speaking! I guess I take for granted how ingrained it is for my company but I do think it’s the future. It feels a lot more personal than the phone.

[jinkies]

At my last job, we never ever used video on conference calls.

I started a new job in December and I report to people on the other side of the country, and work with people all over the world. We always use video. It felt awkward at first, but now I love it. I feel so much more connected to the people that I regularly video chat with, even though I've never met any of them in person.

Also, honestly, it forces people to focus on the meeting at hand. At my last job, it was VERY common to see people on regular check-in calls who only gave their own update and then muted the call and continued doing other work. Being on video forces you to be present.

[wildrice]

I do video most of the time, though meeting via the web is new to me and most of my coworkers, so "most of the time" is really just the last 4 weeks. We are all on the same campus normally so we'd just meet face to face or occasionally by phone. The only time I'm not doing video calling is if I'm eating. We have a daily 1pm meeting and depending on what else I have going on, sometimes I don't get a chance to eat until then. I don't get "done up" but that would be overstating what I normally do for work, haha. I do shower daily and put gel in my hair so it curls, and a little powder and mascara. But I'm always wearing comfy clothes.

I'd say it's about 50/50 what other people do. Many of us are working from personal computers so not everyone is set up to do video.

[Wallflower]

80% of my company has always worked remotely (we're all over the US and Canada, with a few overseas as well) and we rarely use video, if ever. When I do a client training webinar, I'll turn my video on to greet the attendees but then turn it off to train.

But with my two closest work buddies, I've started turning the video on and reversing the camera so that it looks out my window at my bird feeders - they both love it! We'll chat on whatever work issue, or just catch up, and they'll watch the birds with me.

[Pilsy]

Another employee of a global company checking in. Teams/Zoom calls are the norm, but I do think folks are turning on their video more now.

I'm not sure if people are craving more interaction or feel the need to prove they're paying attention. (I mean, it can help, but I don't assume everyone without video is goofing off.) Also, some people seem somewhat entertained - for lack of a better word - by showing off their unshaven faces, makeshift offices, etc. There's a certain solidarity in being honest and very open about the less-than-ideal circumstances we're all in. That said, while I do turn on mine if everyone else does, I hate how I look with my glasses and baseball cap on, so I keep mine off if I'm not the only one doing so.

I am not giving up the baseball cap. It's a casual company, so nobody cares, and I'm sure as heck not wasting the time and hair damage to straighten my hair during this mess.

[hbomdiggity]

I had never done video until today. I too was amazed by all the video conferencing in the news.

I has never been a thing in my line of work. But then this week someone used MS teams to set up a meeting and I was surprised some didn’t mute video. For my meeting today, the organizer had warned us he wanted to turn on video, but that quickly turned to video only if you’re speaking.

[VillainV]

My organization is VERY new to individually-attended video conferences, and it’s been amusing and interesting. We’re starting to implement a lot more of it, and I’m interested to see how we choose to do this. I like seeing other people, but since so many of us have kids running around, I think having video off keeps them from video-bombing your conference call!!

[sillygoosegirl]

DH and I currently only have one external webcam between us. Switch it back and forth from time to time, so neither of us have it available all the time. I really don't care to buy anything non-essential right now, even though the company will pay for it.

At some point I'm going to find time to configure my workspace so I'm using my work laptop instead of my personal desktop, and cqn point it's webcam at myself. But I haven't had time to set that up yet. (Can't get much done on my laptop without external monitors.)

[covergirl82]

I don't have a ton of meetings, but so far, I've only had one meeting in the last three weeks where we've turned on video. I think people where I work aren't super comfortable with it yet, but I anticipate more video meetings the longer we are all working from home.

[sadlebred]

My company does not allow us to do video calls. We can only use our official company installed software for meetings, and video is disabled.

I have been turning on video for chats with friends on my personal laptop.

[waverly]

For webinars and meeting with a large group of attendees the presenter turns off video and audio.

For small department meetings the audio and camera are in to see their face. We never did online meetings before.

My husband does mostly phone meetings, and they are all still phone not video.

[mrssandro]

If my client does I will too. If my lead does I will too. But I don't default it on because 95% don't use the camera. I love using the camera.

[ssmjlm]

It's expected that you will have the video on since it's a video chat. If someone is calling, it's for a reason. Otherwise we have an instant messaging system.

[Poppy]

My former company used it often and I liked video, once I got over the initial awkwardness. Nobody does at my company now and I'm tempted to turn mine on to try to get other people to as well. But, I'm not dressed to my usual (fairly low) standard so that is holding me back.

[gibbinator]

I turned on video 100% of the time prior to the lockdown. Now that everyone is working from home and my kids and dh are home with sometimes a kid playing card games on my floor, and I'm behind all the time, I look exhausted constantly from working extra hours, we suddenly have all sorts of meetings unrelated to my work AND because dh keeps stealing my webcam so he can teach classes...I have not had it on much recently. In fact, the last meeting I was in I didn't even have a mic enabled. I was just in the chat bar like, "I am here and I can hear you...carry on."

[keweenawlove]

I have been for our group meetings of ~12 people and smaller group meetings. It's so nice to "see" people other than DH and DD, especially if it's co-workers I like. I feel like it does add to the interaction to be able to see facial expressions.
Most of my group has been pretty low-key so I don't feel the need to look extra presentable. My "getting ready" has been changing from PJs to athleisure attire and doing my skin-care routine and washing my hair maybe twice a week.

[sdlaura]

I always pop on with no video, see if others are on video, then turn on my video if they are. The majority of my meetings have at least someone on video.

I now do a lot of presenting at board meetings by video (previsoilsy I traveled a lot), so my company hired a consultant to do virtual presentation training for us.

[sandandsea]

I usually don’t turn on video but do for specific calls. I’m working from home with two little boys who interrupt a lot and could be in any state of undress and I’m trying to stay off of the fail compilations. I am also always on mute if I’m not talking because you never know when the yelling may start.