For the last fifteen years, I have taught group fitness classes as a hobby at a local fitness studio. Before the pandemic, if you would have told me my classes would be filmed and livestreamed, I would have laughed in your face. There would never have been a world I could have imagined that would involve me, teaching online, to a sea of faces at home. After all, I’m not Jane Fonda or Jillian Michaels.
Enter on stage left: a worldwide pandemic and stay-at-home orders. The crazy world I couldn’t have imagined in my wildest dreams became reality overnight, as I taught exercise classes online, my children attended tutoring sessions over Zoom and we all became very accustomed to replacing our in-person interactions with online meetings. At first it was difficult, but once we got used to it, it became more commonplace, and dare I say, more convenient?
Now that we have all adjusted to the normalcy and convenience of online meetings, there is a question as to what is appropriate. I recently attended my son’s university orientation, and counselors at the business school hosted an entire segment on “Professional Procedure for Online Interactions.” It made me ponder the fact that many of us are still figuring out what the professional norms and expectations are for working and meeting online. The number one suggestion at my son’s orientation was to be camera-on for online interactions and meetings. While there may have been a time when camera-off was acceptable, the world of virtual interactions is evolving. Here’s why keeping your camera on during training or web meetings is the best practice for professionalism and presence in a digital environment.
Beyond Black Boxes: Fostering a More Dynamic Environment
Have you ever joined an online meeting and felt a pang of uncertainty, wondering if you should have your camera on or off? Think about a traditional in-person meeting or class. Would you attend and sit behind a curtain? Of course not, unless you were the Wizard of Oz! Turning on your camera allows for enhanced experiences that come with many benefits:
- Project Confidence and Boost Engagement: When online interactions are camera-on, eye contact and a friendly expression showcase your commitment and interest in the conversation. Non-verbal cues like nodding or smiling demonstrate active listening and participation. MOREnet Training and Product Supervisor, Andy King, agreed, “If no one has their cameras on, it is hard for me to tell if people are engaged, and we are not able to see their expressions, we miss excitement, boredom or confusion.”
- Build Rapport: Seeing the faces of colleagues and fostering a sense of “being there” strengthens relationships and teamwork. It is more difficult to feel empathy or interest in your colleagues when you do not see their face, know their expressions or experience their nonverbal cues. MOREnet Marketing Director, Dawn Thurnau, has experienced the importance of this nonverbal aspect in her leadership development group. “When we turn our cameras off, it signifies that we’ve left the room. Since it’s important to be present for my cohort, it has been equally important to keep my camera on.”
- Read the Room (Virtually): Seeing participant reactions allows presenters to gauge understanding and adjust their pace or content accordingly. “When I train a group of people, I am thrilled when someone has their camera on. If I have eight people attend and eight black boxes, I have no idea if anything I am saying makes sense, so I cannot adjust to my audience very well”, shared MOREnet Technical Trainer Patti Jones.
- Maintain Focus and Accountability: Knowing everyone is “visible” can help minimize distractions and keep participants engaged and on track. When our eyes are on our screen and our face is visible, the temptation of being distracted with our phone or double tasking with other responsibilities is reduced.
- Promotion in the Workplace: When a camera is off during workplace interactions, the lack of facetime and nonverbal communication places a barrier between the employee and the organization, which in the end, has been found to reduce promotions and advancement. A survey by Wakefield Research revealed that 92% of U.S. executives have reported “Employees who are less engaged, either frequently on mute or don’t turn on their camera during virtual meetings, probably don’t have a long-term future at their company.” The researchers went on to say that “Business executives take facetime very seriously among their subordinates.” While many colleagues will not specifically ask you to turn your camera on, it is in your best interest to do so, regardless of how you are feeling at any given moment, because, as we are reminded by the BBC, even the act of having our camera off is a non-verbal cue in and of itself.
Objections Addressed: Let’s Talk Privacy and Poor Connections
If you have concerns about privacy and digital disadvantages related to online meetings, you are not alone. “Several estimates suggest that even in developed countries, the broadband speed in many households may be too low for to facilitate disruption free virtual meetings”, according to a study found in the Journal of Vocational Behavior. While this fact is true and unavoidable, with the investments in broadband infrastructure in recent years, these problems are likely to diminish as we head into the next decade. Additionally, if the concern for on-camera meetings is related to privacy, virtual backgrounds can blur your surroundings, and muting your microphone when necessary can help to ensure privacy and a smooth flow of conversation.
The Future is Here: Embrace the Camera-On Advantage
The way we work is constantly evolving, and virtual interactions are no longer a novelty, and in many cases, they save a good deal time and expense for individuals and organizations alike. But, with this great convenience comes great responsibility. Turning on your camera is a simple step that shows professionalism, fosters engagement and creates a more productive and enjoyable online environment for everyone. So next time you join a web meeting or webinar, step out from behind the curtain and join the room!