With more than half of the D.C.-area workforce still working at home nine months into the coronavirus pandemic, many are becoming burned out from the experience, and video conference fatigue is near the top of the list.
Staffing firm Robert Half surveyed at-home office workers and found 38% said they are tiring of the video meeting experience, with many noting that the practicality and novelty of videoconferencing has worn off. Another 24% said they find virtual meetings inefficient and would prefer emails or phone calls.
There are plenty of other complaints about video meetings as well.
“Dealing with technical issues, dealing with too many participants on the call, interruptions like having people around or dogs barking, and people on the actual video conference multitasking and not paying attention,” Trey Barnette, at Robert Half in D.C., told WTOP.
The complaint about too many unnecessary participants logged on to video meetings is a common one. It can be unproductive for those who actually need to participate in the meeting, according to Robert Half.
“You have to limit the guest list,” Barnette said. “Make sure that everyone who is going to be on the call is going to bring value and has a stake in the outcome. We find that a small group of around two to four people is the most effective way. And also, make sure you have a set agenda.”
One in four working parents in the survey spends more than half of his on-the-job hours in virtual meetings. More women than men — 47% to 32% — said they are tired of videoconferencing.
There are ways to help make video meetings less annoying.
While home backgrounds seen in video meetings have become somewhat of an opportunity for boastful competitions, the best background for video meetings is a relatively bland one that won’t be distracting. Some virtual meeting platforms allow users to blur the background.
Also, don’t forget to dress up a bit, at least from the waist up.
“From our survey, people noted that they are not always ‘camera ready.’ So if you know ahead of time you’re going to be on a video call, do all the necessary things to make sure you are looking presentable,” Barnette said.
Robert Half has more than a dozen simple videoconference etiquette tips posted online.
Robert Half surveyed more than 1,000 workers normally employed in office settings between Oct. 27 and Nov. 2.
