Time to put the camera “on” your company handbook!
If your company has a hybrid workforce, you probably use a video platform for your company meetings. Call it the new normal! And with this new style of conducting staff business, issues have inevitably developed along the way.
THE ISSUE: Video No-Show Employees – Is “Camera Off” a Clue to an Employee’s Career Engagement?
Technical issues aside, not every employee (management included) is on board with showing their face in a video workplace meeting. According to a survey of 200 U.S. executives by Vyopta, a collaboration technology provider:
92% of company executives say that employees who frequently go on mute or turn their cameras off during video calls may not have a long-term future with their company.
Management in the survey also felt that by turning the camera off, employees are displaying a lack of engagement, and this action may indicate a sign of poor performance to come.
Whether this is true or not, 43% of executives believe that staffers who cut the video during meetings are scrolling through websites, social media, or doing other work. Another 40% believe those employees are texting or chatting with others.
WHY IT MATTERS:
- Once upon a time… staffers were required to attend an “in-person” meeting. Workers who skipped team meetings missed important information about work assignments, coordinating duties with co-workers, or snagging a particular project that could lead to career advancement. Let team members know that having their camera on helps the entire team engage with one another. Making face-to-face contact is vital for employees to communicate with each other.
- On-site or on camera, a staff no-show situation is still the same! A “no-show” on camera may become equivalent to the negative impact of being a “no-show” at an in-person meeting. Managers and co-workers may even begin to interpret video disengagement as poor performance.
WHAT EMPLOYEES CONSIDER:
- Understanding Employee Reluctance to Being “On Camera” Video conferencing is new to many businesses, and with any new technology, employees will have different comfort levels using it.
- Home Base is Not Camera-Ready Some remote workers may not turn on the camera because they may not want to share their home environment, but there are workarounds, such as filters that change backgrounds or focus features.
- Watching Yourself on Camera Is Distracting According to a Zoom study, 30% of participants spend more than half the time on a video call looking at their own face and critiquing their appearance. Zoom tip: show employees the “hide self-view” in the video options, which keeps the camera on but hides the employee’s view of themselves.
WHAT EMPLOYERS MUST CONSIDER:
- Management Must Turn Their Camera On! Management needs to lead by example and always have their camera turned on.
- Acknowledge Workers Who Use Their Camera Managers should help employees understand the value of “face-to-face” interactions—even if it’s virtual. Let employees know that management knows this is difficult for them and that you appreciate them turning their cameras on.
- Make a Personal Case for “Camera On” If an employee resists turning their camera con, take some time to explore their concerns to come up with solutions.
SETTING A COMPANY POLICY
Getting Staffers to Face Up
Establish a company policy that indicates when employees can have their camera off and when they must have it on.
What’s a Manager to Do About Video No-Shows?
If your company believes employees should be on camera for virtual meetings, be direct and lay down some terms.
Customer Service = Camera “On”
If you’re working with people in public-facing fields like recruiting, sales, or customer service, it’s vital to have your camera on. If staff is unwilling to meet expectations, pivot the conversation by reminding them why it’s an expectation and that the job description requires they comply.
Set Terms with Reluctant Staffers
Be clear about the need to camera-up if the company makes it mandatory. Bottom line, if an employee can do their job in person, they can do their job on camera. No exceptions.
Develop a Video Conference Policy
Many companies have implemented video conferencing policies covering on-camera etiquette, agenda protocols, scheduling procedures, and even guidelines for proper attire. Make sure these types of policies are documented in your company handbook and are communicated to employees.
NOTE: When it comes to on-camera attire, the standards for business attire should be no different than if an employee was attending an in-person staff meeting!
THE IN-PERSON DEPARTMENT MEETING IS NOT MAKING A COMEBACK
Company meetings conducted through video have become the established platform for many companies, and this trend shows no sign of reversing. If this is the case in your company, communicate to your employees that moving forward, all employees must be ready to show up – whether in person or digitally.
NEED A VIDEO CONFERENCING POLICY?
Call Cardinal Services for all your HR needs! We can help you create video conferencing standards and policies that can ease the stress of the hybrid workplace. Give us a call at (800) 342-4742 and ask to speak to our HR Specialists.