The forced move in March 2020 to home-working and the requirement for social distancing saw a huge increase in the use of video conferencing and meeting software.
According to Getvoip.com in July 2020, 80% of employees used video conferencing software for 1:1 calls, 75% of CEOs say that video conference calls will replace audio only conference calls and 78% of employees use web conferencing software for their team meetings. These are just a couple of statistics but I know from conducting virtual DSEs and changes to my own role in the last year, there are employees who have gone from never doing virtual meetings to full days of video calls and conferences.
There were certainly positives to using video for meetings when working from home. It offered connection between employees working from home and increased employee engagement. It helped new starters become familiar with their colleagues in the absence of the office. Even now, with the return to the office and hybrid working, virtual meetings remain a staple of the working week. They allow for convenient arrangement of meetings between people in different locations, reducing the need for travel (climate friendly too!) and allow employees to work from home while still linking in with their colleagues.
But from an ergonomic perspective, a high level of video calls and virtual meetings can have a negative impact on employee wellbeing.
In this blog post, I will identify the potential negative impact of excessive virtual meetings, as well as the steps that employers and employees can take to reduce these risks and foster health, wellness and productivity in the remote & hybrid workforce.
Negative Impact of Virtual Meetings
During virtual DSE assessments, the rise in the use of virtual meetings has been cited by employees as one of the main reasons that they are seated at the workstation for prolonged periods. Employees report that back-to-back meetings, feeling pressure to be visible on screen, lunch time meetings and lack of breaks in meetings as negatives in the use of video meetings.
Zoom Fatigue and Cognitive Overload
- “Zoom fatigue” is a term that has been coined to describe the exhaustion associated with participating in virtual meetings. Factors that can contribute to the phenomenon include:
- Increased Cognitive Load: Video calls require more focus and concentration than in-person meetings due to the need to interpret non-verbal cues, monitor multiple video feeds, and manage technological issues.
- Excessive Eye Contact: Prolonged virtual meetings force participants to maintain constant eye contact, which can feel more intense and unnatural than face-to-face interactions.
- Self-Consciousness: Seeing oneself on camera can lead to heightened self-awareness and anxiety, contributing to stress.
- Lack of Non-Verbal Cues: In-person communication benefits from body language and physical presence, which is often lost in virtual meetings, leading to misinterpretations or less effective communication.
Physical Strain
- Eye Strain and Headaches:
- Staring at screens for extended periods can lead to digital eye strain, characterized by dry eyes, blurred vision, and headaches.
- Poor Posture and Musculoskeletal Issues:
- Sitting for long hours in front of a computer can cause poor posture, leading to back, neck, and shoulder pain. Improper ergonomic setups can exacerbate these issues.
Decreased Productivity and Burnout
- Meeting Overload:
- Virtual work environments have led to an increase in the number of meetings, sometimes resulting in a “meeting culture” where employees feel compelled to attend unnecessary meetings, leading to reduced time for focused work.
- Multitasking:
- Research indicates that during virtual meetings, many participants engage in multitasking (e.g., checking emails, browsing the internet), which can reduce the effectiveness of meetings and lead to cognitive fatigue.
- Work-Life Balance Issues:
- The blurred boundaries between work and home can make it difficult to disconnect, contributing to burnout.
Social and Psychological Effects
- Isolation and Loneliness:
- Virtual meetings do not fully replace the social interactions of face-to-face meetings, potentially leading to feelings of isolation and loneliness, especially for remote workers.
- Anxiety and Stress:
- Some individuals experience increased anxiety when communicating virtually, particularly if they are not accustomed to technology or if they are in environments where they feel constantly “on display.”
Technological Challenges
- Technical Issues:
- Poor internet connectivity, lag, audio-visual glitches, and the need for technical troubleshooting can lead to frustration and wasted time during virtual meetings.
- Accessibility Concerns:
- Not all employees have equal access to high-quality equipment, reliable internet, or a conducive environment for virtual meetings, potentially creating inequalities.
Reduced Team Cohesion and Collaboration
- Lack of Informal Communication:
- In traditional office settings, informal interactions play a crucial role in team bonding, collaboration, and innovation. Virtual meetings often lack these spontaneous interactions.
- Reduced Emotional Connection:
- Virtual meetings can make it harder to establish a sense of camaraderie or trust among team members, potentially impacting team dynamics and morale.
Impact on Learning and Development
- Reduced Engagement in Training Sessions:
- Virtual environments can make it harder for employees to stay engaged during training and development sessions, affecting knowledge retention and learning outcomes.
- Challenges in Onboarding New Employees:
- Virtual onboarding can be less effective in helping new hires acclimate to company culture and build relationships with colleagues.
What Can Employers Do To Reduce The Negative Impact of Virtual Meetings
Employers and Team Leaders should look at what they can do to reduce the static postures and screen time associated with virtual meetings.
- Create a Virtual Meeting Policy
- Aim to ensure that breaks are inserted into virtual meetings if they are scheduled to be over 60 minutes in duration. The break time should be long enough to allow attendees to get up and leave the desk for a bathroom break or to get a drink.
- Reduce the length of virtual meetings to allow a break between back-to-back calls (e.g. reducing 30 minute meetings to 25 minutes, 60 minute meetings to 50 minutes etc).
- Set clear agendas for each meeting and assign roles, if required
- Allow employees to turn off their cameras once the meeting has started.
- Consider introducing meeting free days, if possible.
- Reduce the Volume of Virtual Meetings
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- Team leaders and managers should aim to have their team members onsite on the same day and arrange regular or essential meetings to be conducted in person on those office based days.
- Provide Employees with a Wireless Headset
- This will allow employees to stay present in and contribute to the meeting while moving from the home workstation
- It also ensures privacy of discussions and reduces background noise
- Reduce The Amount of Camera Based Calls
- Assess if the meeting can be conducted as an audio only call
- If so, encourage employees to log into these calls on portable devices such as mobile phones or tablets to encourage mobility during the calls.
- Introduce the Idea of Walking / Outdoor Meetings
- As we move into the Spring and Summer, employees could log in to audio only calls from their mobile phones, using the associated earphones, and take part in the meeting while out walking or outdoors.
- Provide Small Meeting Rooms In The Office
- Small meeting rooms in the office provide an alternative location for the employees to use during office based video calls, encouraging movement from the workstation.
- Consider Investing In Sit Stand Workstations
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- Virtual meetings are unavoidable in the modern workplace. While increased movement and mobility can be encourage at home by use of wireless headsets and mobile devices, this cannot be applied in the office. To do so would cause distraction for colleagues. Sit stand workstations facilitate changes of posture from sitting to standing during video calls, when taking microbreaks from the desk is not practical.
- Lead by Example
- If other meeting participants observe their Team Leaders and Managers moving around during video calls or turning the camera off intermittently, they are more likely to view it as an acceptable practice.
What Can Employees Do To Reduce The Negative Impact of Virtual Meetings
These tips apply also when joining in virtual courses, conference calls and webinars. It is all about increasing mobility from the workstation to reduce the risks associated with static loading, adverse postures and increased screen time.
- Invest in a Wireless Headset
- If your employer does not provide a wireless headset, invest in one for yourself. Your body will thank you! The wireless headset has become a very useful tool for increasing mobility when working from home.
- Log into Calls from your Mobile Phone
- If you are logging into a call as a participant as opposed to a presenter, logging in via your mobile phone will allow you to move around or away from the work area while in the meeting.
- Ensure you Screen & Camera are Well Positioned
- Set up your call screen and camera so it is level with your eye line, to help maintain an upright position during calls.
- Stand for Some of your Meetings
- If you have a height adjustable work surface, use it in the standing position for some of your video calls.
- Turn the Camera Off Intermittently
- If you are in a private work area, you are required to be visible onscreen and you take your calls on speaker / have a wireless headset, turn the camera off for 30 – 60 seconds, walk around your work area, stretch, sit back down once you feel ready and turn the camera back on.
Virtual meetings are here to stay, but the potential negative impact to employee health and wellbeing can be avoided with careful planning, policy creation, implementation and fostering a workplace that recognises the importance of movement and mobility at work.
