Do people really use camera for meetings everyday? Is it an American thing? Unless you're interviewing for a job or otherwise introducing someone I don't see the benefit.
Not letting you see my face is actually about respect: I don't want people to embarrass themselves trying to read my mind based on what my face is doing while ignoring what I'm actually saying with my words. I've found it's usually people with a need to see a face (or worse, eye contact) when talking who refuse to trust my words in favor of what they assume based on "body language" (at best a weak signal often given too much weight), so it's better for everyone.
Just like in real life, it's not about body language OR audio, it's about the combination of both.
Apart from scientific reasons...I also just like to talk and see my colleagues from time to time when we are already not in the same office, but I know that varies from person to person.
Other comments in this thread suggest that one should turn their camera off and do something else. This, I believe, is the default experience: that behind every participant without camera there's someone ignoring your talk.
It's the same as presenting to a room where half the attendees are on their phone - while it's conceivable that some of them are using it to (say) find a detail that the presenter missed, the more likely explanation is that they're checking their emails and/or Instagram.
On the other hand, just because someone is looking at you while you speak, not doing anything else, and giving appropriate nods, etc., doesn't actually mean they're paying attention to you.
When concentrating on a task, Me and one of my daughters both get asked constantly why we are so angry.
Apparently it’s so bad that we both get lots of interruptions from people that are greatly concerned.
Not sure if it’s an ADHD hyper-focus thing or what.
American here. I have my camera on when speaking/presenting, but off when consuming the meeting so that I can focus cognitive load on the meeting agenda at hand. This allows me to take written paper notes and think during the meeting vs spending cycles on what people may infer socially from my process in doing so on video (hard to take the lizard brain out of the human). Thinking takes effort.
I tell my team (remote infosec team) video is optional: on if you'd like, but no concerns if off. Respect and output is distinct from whether your camera is on, and I want those I work with (directs and peers) to be most comfortable during our work sessions, including consideration to introverts, those who might show signs of being on the spectrum and adverse to full time video, and so on. There will be no written test, but it will show if you are consistently not paying attention in these forums (assuming you are properly measuring output).
I admit this is culture and org dependent. I encourage those with the authority and aptitude to build good culture whenever within their control.
(my learnings for this topic come from several years at a fully remote startup, a variety of larger enterprises, and my own interactions with my children who are on the spectrum, have ADHD like myself, etc; TLDR give grace, its cheap)
I do this too but have been called out for “not being on camera” by a man that deserves no authority. Some people like to see themselves talk. Some like to hear themselves talk. I’d rather code than talk. When I run meetings, my camera is off, everyone else’s is off, and we have good candor and understanding during the meeting. I think by setting my bar low (just attend) I get better scores than those that require “face time”.
Working and talking with people is more than the words they use. It's also facial expressions, gestures, and general body language. It helps smooth conversations that may be confusing.
I also agree with the OP - turn off self-view. The tumblr post is now, and will always be accurate:
>I am Narcissus and my little zoom square is my lake. --@somfeelingood
This only applies when discussing difficult topics. Performance Review? Probably on camera. Meeting about upcoming sprint work, probably not. The severity of the meeting agenda dictates I think. I also agree that turning off self-view helps a lot. Being “on camera” is awkward for people not used to it. I’m going to draw the line at “but how will I know what your expression is”? Easy, I’ll tell you. I’ll use my words to effectively communicate. Emotionless, without expression. Having my camera on won’t change that. Staring at my avatar face is about the same expression you are going to get live. Slight courtesy smile and that’s it. I won’t get angry, upset, loose my temper, scowl while others are talking, raise eyebrows, or other facial expressions that communicate in a way that requires sequencing imaging technology. Not everyone is photogenic. Not everyone is put together at 8am for your all-hands. Some of us live alone and have to juggle your meeting with doing dishes, or the dog, or getting that last git commit in before deployment. You can’t see body language on camera other than facial expressions. Facial expressions aren’t a great way to communicate on this medium.
So I challenge your notion that we are more than just the words we use. I would say we are entirely the words we use. A lack of vocabulary or mispronouncing words but a good facial expression or body language isn’t going to go very far with me. Effective communication requires words, more than anything. Entire businesses are run via email.
Oh man I spend a lot of time studying peoples' expressions as they hear stuff in virtual meetings. They let on a lot more than they think. I probably do too, but I leave my camera on anyway because I can also use what it shows to consciously express myself w/out having to talk.
These days in-office meetings are worse because 90% of the time somebody's calling in and so everybody's pointed at the screen. It's like watching people watch TV. You lose out on the face to face-ness of virtual meetings and a lot the body language of live meetings.
But man one tiring thing about virtual meetings is that if you say something like "Uh-huh" or "Yeah!" in a virtual meeting the person stops and says, "Did you want to say something?" For some reason that doesn't happen as much in live meetings.
> Do people really use camera for meetings everyday? Is it an American thing? Unless you're interviewing for a job or otherwise introducing someone I don't see the benefit.
I bet it's a company culture thing.
I'm an American, and no one where I work ever has their camera on, except by accident. It's almost a faux pas, like not being on mute: if someone has their camera, someone will mention it so they can turn it off.
Early in the pandemic, we had capacity issues with our then on-prem VPN, which I think prevented any pressure to have your camera on in a meeting. No one would want it anyway: very few even had profile pictures uploaded until some VP mandated it.
The only exception is higher-level managers giving large presentations.
I usually have the camera on during the first few minutes then turn it off.
I usually do something else until it's my turn to speak at daily meeting so there is no reason to look like I'm not listening. I am .. just while doing something else.
