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The fatiguing effects of camera use in virtual meetings

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Re: The fatiguing effects of camera use in virtual meetings

#31

Post by matsemann »

newshorts wrote: post #19

Have they also considered the fact that I’m literally hopping from one meeting to the next with zero minutes of downtime? I mean when I was in the office we at least had to walk to a new room, now I’m always a few minutes late to the next meeting and literally just signed out of the previous one. I used to also take a lunch break, now I eat at my desk during meetings.

Yes, and that it's 100% business. Hard to get a good social conversation in a remote meeting with 5+ people, so the real meeting starts right away, and when it's done everyone disconnect. Compared to a physical meeting where people will talk in smaller groups before and after.

Re: The fatiguing effects of camera use in virtual meetings

#33

Post by vladvasiliu »

beermonster wrote: post #26

I found out early on on that meetings are much less fatiguing if I’m not looking at the web meeting app at all i.e. I have some document/code on my screen instead. If there is screen sharing involved so I have to look a the web meeting screen, I go full screen and minimise all their video streams which a) gets me more screen real estate, b) means it effectively becomes an audio only meeting at that point. We used to…

> They can summarise after by email if that’s all they want.

I sometimes get the feeling that, for some people, not having to write that (or any) email is the whole point of having people in meetings.

Re: The fatiguing effects of camera use in virtual meetings

#34

Post by Gigachad »

lucumo wrote: post #25

> following a day of virtual meetings I've done full days of real meetings. Those were exhausting and very draining. I'm surprised that anybody would expect anything different from virtual meetings. I have noticed that it's harder to feel people as fully human when they're little 2D movies. Even moreso when they're disembodied voices. It's less so when I've met the people IRL. I'm guessing I can then link their image…

Personally I have started leaving the camera on because it’s incredibly tempting to just use my phone and tune out with the camera off. I have also noticed that camera off people tend to speak a lot less than those with it on.

Re: The fatiguing effects of camera use in virtual meetings

#35

Post by blowski »

noisy_boy wrote: post #10

I just blame it on poor webcam support over Citrix for Linux. All others run Windows but some dont turn on video just because. Management raised the point of video for a while and then basically gave up. Good. For technical meetings you dont need to see my face to evaluate the merits of my point. Performance review type stuff is a different matter.

If it’s a purely technical meeting, I’d wonder why it’s even a call rather than writing. But I’d guess that some might disagree that it’s “purely technical”, and there the video call makes sense. Perhaps there’s more need than ever to establish a purpose for the meeting before you start.

Re: The fatiguing effects of camera use in virtual meetings

#36

Post by fartcannon »

lucumo wrote: post #25

> following a day of virtual meetings I've done full days of real meetings. Those were exhausting and very draining. I'm surprised that anybody would expect anything different from virtual meetings. I have noticed that it's harder to feel people as fully human when they're little 2D movies. Even moreso when they're disembodied voices. It's less so when I've met the people IRL. I'm guessing I can then link their image…

Like those who can't touch type now, being exhausted by video calls may eventually be the exception. I expect to see a generational gap here. The twitch streaming, discord VC generation are not going to have the problems you're describing with video calls.

Re: The fatiguing effects of camera use in virtual meetings

#38

Post by kitd »

Where I work there are basically two types of meeting, one for mass participation (> 10 people) when a few are speaking and most are listening, and one for small team discussion, which tend to be focussed on screen sharing one or more person's screen. Neither of those need a camera.

When meetings are 1-1, or maybe < 5, then they make sense, but I don't really feel the need for them otherwise.

Re: The fatiguing effects of camera use in virtual meetings

#39

Post by zimpenfish »

vladvasiliu wrote: post #33
beermonster wrote: post #26

I found out early on on that meetings are much less fatiguing if I’m not looking at the web meeting app at all i.e. I have some document/code on my screen instead. If there is screen sharing involved so I have to look a the web meeting screen, I go full screen and minimise all their video streams which a) gets me more screen real estate, b) means it effectively becomes an audio only meeting at that point. We used to…

> They can summarise after by email if that’s all they want. I sometimes get the feeling that, for some people, not having to write that (or any) email is the whole point of having people in meetings.

> for some people, not having to write that (or any) email is the whole point of having people in meetings

Which can lead to some annoying problems where, for example, you might have several meetings where people harangue you for wanting things done in way X but then find out after you've spent two weeks doing things in way Y that they actually conceded on way X after those things but no-one bothered to write it down or communicate it in any way.

(Not that this was a one-off; the whole company had a culture of meetings without notes or any kind of documentation.)

Re: The fatiguing effects of camera use in virtual meetings

#40

Post by ArtDev »

cblconfederate wrote: post #11

Zoom should add a pause button. Freeze the camera, people can see your face but it doesnt have to be live. Or use a photo instead

I wish I could disable the video for people that have their cameras on. I find video distracting and it takes away from a genuine conversation.
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