The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we communicate in multiple contexts of our lives: professional, personal, and social. The New York Times reports that as of April at least 200 million people use Zoom; a few months prior only ten million used the service.
Eventually, we’ll return to in-person social gatherings, but it seems like Zoom is not a temporary fix for the workplace; it will continue to remain a prevalent tool from now on. From interviews and first impressions to important workplace meetings, Zoom and other video chatting services have taken over and become a crucial force in virtually every workspace in recent months. Now that the basic function of Zoom has become somewhat common knowledge for those who have shifted to remote working, it’s important to identify what we may not have mastered yet: effective communication and monitoring of nonverbal behaviors virtually.
At some point in our professional lives, we’ve all been taught the importance of interview etiquette: practice a firm handshake, maintain eye contact, dress to impress, sit with open body language. For those who attend and host workplace meetings, it’s common knowledge to use body language, eye contact, and strategic tone of voice to productively influence and inform others. The challenge now is holding ourselves accountable for the effective dictation and absorption of information, identifying what nonverbal behaviors are still important, and learning how to make ourselves stand out through a screen. The introduction of new technology creates a new realm of professional rules, expectations, and norms that are important to implement for future professional success.
Remote work may have some limitations, but there are always opportunities to make good impressions, nail interviews, and hold effective team meetings by following important Zoom etiquette guidelines. Here are some tips to effectively make a good interview impression from afar and communicate to a team that is geographically divided on mobile devices.
Camera is Key.
While looking at yourself and others on your screen can be tempting, it is important to look directly into your camera lens. For other Zoom participants, this will feel like direct eye contact. It’s also important to keep your camera/device at eye level. For example, having your device positioned on your lap pointing up toward you can create an angle that can appear too close, informal, or unflattering. Try placing your device on a level surface, eye level, a foot or two away from you. Always stop your video when you are moving locations or dealing with a distraction and never do anything private while on a Zoom call, even if you think your camera is off!
Lighting.
Lighting can really make-or-break your presentation on Zoom. It’s important to make sure you have as much light in your space as possible. It’s also imperative to avoid being backlit and looking like a shadow rather than a professional candidate. Your future employers and team members want to be able to see your face; the host of the meeting will also appreciate seeing your reactions to what they’re saying! Try to make your space seem as light and open as possible; it will go a long way in how you appear on camera.
Physical Presentation.
You guessed it—the next tip is to dress to impress! A lot of people equate Zoom meetings to pajama parties but dressing professionally at home can really go a long way. In a Zoom interview, dressing professionally (even if only from the waist up) is just as important as it is in an in-person interview. Dressing professionally can convey that you’re a serious, confident candidate and will help you make a strong first impression. Aside from that, dressing professionally in any virtual workspace can create a sense of purpose, motivate us, and put us in a better headspace for work productivity than the stained sweatpants and t-shirt combo would.
Background.
Having a chaotic background can be more distracting than you would think. The presentation of the space you are Zooming from is just as important as physical presentation and also influences others’ initial perceptions of you. If possible, it’s best to be in an area with a solid background that is clean, spacious, uncluttered, and has appropriate décor. Generally, do not Zoom from your bed unless it is not obvious to other participants that it is your bed. Obviously, not everyone has access to an ideal workspace (after all, that’s what company offices are for!) but in the case that you cannot create an appropriate workspace, use the Zoom green screen background feature to add an artificial background to your screen – just make sure it’s one that is appropriate and not too distracting. In any case, if you feel unprofessional in your space, address it head-on and apologize for any distraction. Others will understand
Speaking and Muting.
It can be intimidating to speak up on Zoom, especially when there are many participants; there are technical glitches, lags, and you can easily get spoken over by someone trying to speak at the same time. Using the “raise your hand” feature on Zoom will allow you to speak in an undisrupted turn. It’s also important to indicate when you’re done speaking on Zoom, by verbally saying something like, “I’m done” or “that’s all I had to say” or “thank you” to keep things moving efficiently and avoid unnecessary delays. It’s also really important to keep your microphone muted when you are not speaking. Any background noise, even small noises like doors closing and moving around can be distracting.
Self-Awareness.
When you’re working from your home—crunching numbers in the kitchen or attending an important work meeting in your living room— it can be easy to forget that you’re actually working and that you’re on camera for an entire audience of Zoom participants. Always be aware of how you’re behaving, even if you have your camera turned off. Keep your body language in check, be aware of your facial expressions and reactions, and maintain your composure. If you need to step away from your computer, always be sure to turn off your mic and video, but always have an appropriate profile picture and username that will be displayed. You don’t want to be in a meeting where halfway through you realize that your username is your childhood nickname for everyone to see.
Technological Functioning.
In remote working, there will always be some technical difficulties. Your Wi-Fi might stop working mid-meeting, your computer could crash or run out of battery life, there could be a power outage, etc. While some of those tech disasters may be unavoidable, there are a few things we can do to ensure optimal Zoom technological function. First, it’s important to close all unneeded browsers, tabs, and applications. This will aid in keeping you focused on your meeting while also having your device concentrate on one application. Second, consider charging your device before or during a meeting. Also, consider using headphones with external microphones to ensure optimal speaking and hearing capabilities. Third, keep your notifications on Do Not Disturb. If you’re in the middle of speaking, you do not want to be distracted by a notification. If you’re using the “share your screen” feature for an important presentation, you do not want others to be able to see your messages with mom. If you’re concerned about having a technical delay, you should do a test run on Zoom before any meeting; make sure your camera and microphone are working, ensure that your workspace is appropriate, and make sure your internet is working properly!
Connecting with Your Audience.
Public speaking can already be tricky in general, but it can be especially difficult through a screen. Effectively communicating messages to a large group of people, or even one or two individuals, when you cannot always gauge reactions and body language can be especially difficult. One way to avoid feeling isolated via Zoom is to use gallery view rather than speaker view. This way you can see everyone you are speaking to and don’t feel awkward talking to yourself. Another effective strategy is to enable the “hide self-view” feature. This takes away the screen that allows you to view yourself on camera, so you do not get distracted noticing your behaviors and appearance and can focus on the topics at hand. Also, make sure to continuously engage with your participants by asking if they need any clarification or repetition. Encourage participant engagement through the use of the “thumbs up” or “clapping” features when appropriate.
Host Etiquette.
As the host of a Zoom meeting, you have access to many features that other participants do not. The host of the meeting has the power to mute all other participants; this is something that you should exercise to limit background noise and chaos. Also, the host should always be the last one to leave a meeting and should be prepared for others to stay on in the meeting to ask additional questions.
Familiarize Yourself with Zoom Features.
One of the reasons Zoom has become so popular with remote work is because it’s user-friendly. In most cases, you really just have to log on with a meeting link to join a call, and that’s about it. But Zoom has so many features that can be used strategically to make the most of your meetings. Use the ‘share your screen’ feature to present and display talking points and work materials. Learn how to implement the “whiteboard feature” to sketch and map out explanations of complex ideas right in front of your audience. Record Zoom meetings so you can share them with anyone who misses a meeting or if you want to recall a note you missed – but only do so with the permission of all participants.
For those whose first encounter with remote working was a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, these Zoom etiquette expectations may be daunting and could need some time to master. From the looks of it, it seems that Zoom isn’t going anywhere any time soon, so it’s important to understand how to use online communication as a tool rather than a barrier. Now that we have all engaged in online work through Zoom and other video chat applications, we can and will work together to revolutionize how we use virtual communication in professional work settings.