According to Robert Half's recent online survey of more than 1,000 US office workers, the proliferation of virtual meetings associated with COVID-19-prompted remote work is taking its toll on employees. More specifically:
- The more than 75% of respondents who participate in virtual meetings devote about 30% of their workday to being "on camera" for work.
- 38% said they have experienced video call fatigue since the start of the pandemic. Women are more likely than men to cite videoconferencing fatigue.
- Nearly one-quarter confirmed they find virtual meetings inefficient and exhausting and prefer to communicate by email, phone or other means.
- The most common pet peeves are technical issues and participants talking over each other.
Robert Half offers these suggestions:
- Test your tech. Check your computer's camera, microphone and internet connection. Close any unused programs to increase your bandwidth and reduce the temptation to multitask.
- Limit the guest list. Small groups tend to be more effective and engaged. Make sure everyone you invite has something valuable to offer and a stake in the outcome.
- Set expectations from the get-go. Send an agenda and supporting materials in advance so participants can prepare. During the discussion, capture notes and action items to share in a recap.
See the firm's "Top Videoconference Etiquette Tips" and additional resources on our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources page. This post first appeared in the weekly Society Alert!