With working from home once again the norm, video meetings look like they’re here to stay. In the first lockdown, I heard stories of employees feeling fatigued after days of back-to-back video calls and missing the social interaction of the office. It’s understandable – when speaking on video, our brains have to work harder to make sense of body language, facial expressions and the tone of someone’s voice.
But it doesn’t have to be like this. With some small adjustments, we can take the stress out of working from home and instead use the technology to improve the way we work.
Use various communication methods
One of the things teams not used to remote working struggle with is combining synchronous and asynchronous communication. Being in meetings all day is tiring – even when they happen in person. Everyone working from home means everyone has more uninterrupted time to focus and produce better quality results. Often, work can be shared for others to review, comment and make a decision on without a meeting. Successful remote working organisations are deliberate in their use of meetings, arranging them when everyone has enough information to create a meaningful discussion. It’s important to consider whether meetings are absolutely necessary.
Another challenge is being unable to quickly ask questions or stop by a colleague’s desk to get an informal opinion on an issue. Sending a meeting calendar invite can feel very formal and exaggerated. Usually, it makes more sense to actively use chat, or ask someone to briefly drop by your video room. With channel-based messaging platforms like Slack and the personal rooms available on Whereby, you can avoid the calendar entirely and internal communication flows more naturally.
Run better meetings
Many people have realised not all tasks need to be completed from an office and are keen to retain the option to work flexibly. The issue to now solve is how to run great meetings. One of the most important things is that everyone actually turns their video on. Not being able to see people and read their reactions and body language can be quite stressful, leading to poor discussions and decisions. To maintain relationships with our colleagues, customers and clients, the human element is paramount. Spend a few minutes chatting at the start of a meeting to warm up, especially if it’s with someone new. Building early trust and rapport lays the foundation for good discussions and outcomes.
Don’t skip the office socialising
Just because you can’t be in the same physical room as a colleague doesn’t mean you can’t work together. At Whereby, we have a ‘Friday Friyay’ 30 minute social hangout each week where we talk about non-work related topics like “the weirdest food you’ve ever eaten” to end the week on a fun note. Our support team meets once a month in their group room for a ‘Power Hour.’ Here, they can raise queries together and use audio integration to listen to the same playlist they put together collectively – giving the sense of sitting in the same office.
Look after yourself
~Business Game Changer Special Promotion~
Listening to music when not on a video call is a great way to maintain energy levels at home. One of my favourites is the Whereby playlist by Smalltown Supersound – it’s an easy way to create an environment where you can operate at your best.
Make sure to plan time away from video calls into your daily routine. This can be something as small as a quick break between meetings. Having a hot drink, stretching, going for a walk or some exercise all help us pause and refresh, giving space to shift between professional and personal requirements. Including breaks into routines not only makes daily tasks more manageable but also increases focus and productivity.
If you know the person you’re meeting well, you could take the call outside while walking, for example. I sometimes take calls outside through mobile so if needed I can always turn on my camera. It’s also a fun way to show where I am.
It’s essential everyone feels their work and personal life is balanced. Working flexibly gives the opportunity for employees to take breaks or time for their family and friends. Physical exercise is also really important – I have started working with a personal trainer over Whereby once a week. Some of my colleagues like to work later but take two hour lunch breaks to exercise or go for a bike ride.
Work smarter, not harder
One reason video meetings can make us feel tired is our brains feel overloaded with more stimuli than it can handle. I’ve made small changes that help me with my video calls. I find having a light background in my video room gives me more energy and less fatigue than a dark background. I also recently found out that using earbuds can be less tiring than noise cancelling headphones.
People actually spend most time on video calls staring at their own face. You can avoid this by maximizing the video of the guest you are speaking to – as if you were speaking to them in person. If you need to look at some documents while you’re on the call you can use Whereby’s picture-in-picture feature to still see the participants through a small window. Drag it closer to your camera to maintain eye-contact.
Don’t overload your schedule
Moreover, when you’re on a video meeting, give it your undivided attention. Although cramming multiple tasks simultaneously might seem like you’re getting more done, doing so actually costs you in the long run – up to 40% of productive time, research shows. Close any tabs or applications which may tempt attention – your response to any emails or Slack messages received will be more considered and thorough when you are not on a video chat. And if you don’t think the meeting has value, decline the invite and ask to work async instead.
By Ingrid Ødegaard, co-founder & Chief Product and Technology Officer at Whereby
