Virtual Meeting Etiquette

As the world emerged from the worst of the pandemic and offices started opening up again, employers realized that many employees weren’t all that interested in returning to the old normal. After an adjustment period, we had learned to love remote work.

And one big reason we’re able to pull it off was the new technology enabling virtual meetings. For a big chunk of the workforce, there was no going back, even after it was deemed safe to gather in one room.

Now, whether they’re fully online or hybrid, virtual meetings are de rigueur. “You’re on mute” is turning into an old joke, as everyone has gotten expert at remembering to control their settings. (That’s not to say there isn’t still some discussion around muting—with pretty universal agreement that your dog freaking out at the mailman isn’t cute anymore.)

Let’s assess where we stand at this moment. Do we really need to have the camera on? Are virtual backgrounds professional or not? And which virtual meeting platform should we use? Here’s what people are saying right now.

Camera on vs. camera off

We received close to 12,000 votes in an online poll a short time ago and ended up with an even split! During virtual meetings, 21% of respondents said they always have the camera on, and 21% said they always leave it off. For the option of “On, but only if I have to,” 28% said yes, and 31% said they sometimes have it on and sometimes off.

Even more interesting were the subtleties we gathered from the comments. Some people indicated that it depends on the type of meeting—one-on-ones and small groups require video to be on. Others pointed out that low bandwidth might prompt them to keep it off. More than one respondent said that keeping video off keeps a person’s looks from being a factor in how people perceive their performance. And another great insight came from people with autism and ADHD who find it easier to interact without being seen or seeing others.

Virtual backgrounds: yes or no?

Here again, our survey of the current landscape finds good arguments on both sides. Many feel that virtual backgrounds detract from your authenticity and do nothing for your personal brand. Some remain firmly in the “use virtual background” camp for branding reasons, both professional and personal. And others are still conflicted about the whole thing.

Best virtual meeting platforms

Finally, some consensus! Microsoft Teams received 49% approval in our recent poll, which garnered over 9,000 votes. Zoom came in second with 31%, with Slack (14%) and Webex (5%) lagging far behind. As in our other polls, though, the comments section is where you get the real story. Discord and WhatsApp are dark-horse favorites for some, and a surprising number of folks expressed dismay with Teams’ UI and system compatibility issues.

There’s no end of advice out there on which virtual meeting platforms are best, but here’s a sampling from the past few months alone. Quick tip: green screen is worth a look.

And the big takeaway from all this is . . . it depends. Despite strong opinions and valid arguments on both sides of these issues, your remote work and virtual meeting etiquette decisions are going to have to depend on your specific work and personal situations. Flexibility and openness to the feelings and preferences of those with whom you interact are key.