Video On

Some of the guides I’ve read about remote working mention always having your video camera on when in a meeting. I’ve never paid much attention to it until most of my role is spent on video calls.

If you talk to any agile coach who’s worked with a remote team, they will be able to confirm that having your camera turned on massively improves the comprehension in a conversation. It gives people the illusion of eye contact, you can tell when people are actively listening and when they may be zoning out, and the other person can also see your gestures and expressions.

By enabling the video camera you are also signalling to the other person that you have nothing to hide, and in cases where there are audio issues it’s possible to communicate with cue cards to help resolve any issues.

# My Experience So Far

I’ve found my ability to pay attention to a group conversation without video is significantly lower than one with video. I’ve also found I can better gauge the impact of what I say when others in the conversation have their video on, even if they are muted.

I’m about to add this item to the remote working Slack group we have for work, and I’m hoping it will improve everyone’s video conferencing experience.