Never has camera on in zooms.

[Anonymous]

I never turn my camera. Why do you need to see me? Does it have any impact on the call? If I can’t speak or articulate, without video, to your liking I shouldn’t be working for you.

Me being on camera brings zero additional value to the call.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get the camera off people. If you weren’t working from home, you would have gotten up, showered, dressed, and attended every meeting in the office, face-to-face. And, when you met with your fellow meeting folks, you wouldn’t have thought they were conducting a power play, seeking attention, or something else obnoxious. Instead, they were just attending a work meeting and acting professional. Why don’t in-office assumptions and behaviors translate to WFH? Maybe that’s why employers hate it.

Plenty of people are in the office and keep the camera off during zoom meetings. People don't just have zoom meetings at home anymore...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I so appreciate seeing people in a meeting - it is so much more engaging than a black box. If people don’t have their cameras on, and consistently don’t, the message I get is that they really don’t want to be part of the meeting. I get that people occasionally need to go off camera, but if you are teleworking I think it is unprofessional not to turn on your camera.

How in the world does that mean someone doesn’t want to participate in the meeting? What is unprofessional about it? How is seeing someone vs not seeing them reflective of the quality of their work or what the impact of what they have to say?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Attorney here. Camera off for almost all internal meetings. Frankly, if you’re not multitasking during an internal meeting, that means you don’t have enough work.

For new or newer clients, I always do camera on. For some external clients who are consistent with cameras on, I will too (if I look decent, but fine skipping it if I don’t look decent). If we have an external call with client and opposing side, it’s always cameras off. In other situations I always default to cameras off.

Listen, I am being paid by clients for typically 5-7 hours a day of calls. The balance of my day (typically a 10 hr workday) is doing work at my computer. For the zoom calls I’m on, ninety percent of them, I am “the star” and people are asking me complex questions and need complex answers. Me being on the spot with zoom and worrying about how I look and if I’m gesticulating too much with my hands, or facing the camera…. This is not sustainable for 5-7 hours a day while also giving advice worth $2000 an hour. Before Covid, I was giving that advice to clients on audio only phone calls. They can live without seeing me on screen in exchange for extremely valuable advice.

Yea. This. But I’m former biglaw so makes sense we’d be on the same page. If I’m spearheading a major negotiation while simultaneously owning the documents, I’ll put camera on for intros and take myself off the the negotiation. Mainly because I’m not looking at the camera as I’m referencing drafts on multiple screens and I will lean really close in on occasion and who wants to watch that.

Interesting, so as a lawyer, would you ever do a negotiation where you couldn’t see peoples faces? Do their faces help you, the client(a) navigate the negotiation?

[Anonymous]

For people who only turn it on when they’re talking… is everyone else off? What is the reason for turning it on? And, Are you just talking to black boxes?

I guess it seems very one-sides to just camera on when you’re speaking.

[Anonymous]

I’ve been WFH since 2015. We didn’t turn on cameras until the rest of you came home for covid.

I assume those without cameras on are either from my era of WFH or just don’t like being on camera. Who cares.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That they are doing something else and not paying attention. If it's my meeting, cameras on for everyone.

I quit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Weird how all you "camera must be on" people didn't freak out in the era of conference calls.

Where was your wild paranoia and desperate need to see people's faces back then?

Anyone rambling about cameras in Zoom meetings is almost certainly a useless middle manager terrified that real managers are getting wise to the fact that they are utterly unnecessary and are desperately trying to hold onto any shred of control they have left.

+100

And ditto to the PPs who said they want cameras on for attention. Somehow, their kids always come and do something "cute," as if on cue when cameras are on, or they want to show something off, etc.

[Anonymous]

Our culture is camera on for meetings. And it is explicitly stated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our culture is camera on for meetings. And it is explicitly stated.

Culture? It’s a job.

[Anonymous]

Who cares?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That they are doing something else and not paying attention. If it's my meeting, cameras on for everyone.

I quit

This is the best. Then you don’t have to deal with stupid idiots and all their bullshit. It’s a waste of precious time and you can be doing stuff with people that give a shit about you.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely depends on the company culture and leadership.

My last job that I started during the beginning of the pandemic - company culture was having Zoom or Slack on ALL THE TIME. This was at all levels of the company.

The job I've been at for the last year - for the first 6 months it was very little camera. When I was hired, I work remotely, I used my video and my boss actually told me after a few days that nobody uses video, so I stopped. Then my boss quit and my new boss ALWAYS uses his camera, so I do too now when he's on the call. What I've noticed is that leadership consistently uses video while the rest of the lower staff don't. Because I care about my career growth and reputation, camera on when it matters!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Camera on people--promotable

Camera off people--will stay at their job level

If your goal is to get promoted working remotely is not the path.

Hasn’t affected me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I so appreciate seeing people in a meeting - it is so much more engaging than a black box. If people don’t have their cameras on, and consistently don’t, the message I get is that they really don’t want to be part of the meeting. I get that people occasionally need to go off camera, but if you are teleworking I think it is unprofessional not to turn on your camera.

How in the world does that mean someone doesn’t want to participate in the meeting? What is unprofessional about it? How is seeing someone vs not seeing them reflective of the quality of their work or what the impact of what they have to say?

NP. I wish they did studies on this. But in my unscientific observations, people with cameras off pretty much NEVER participate. I've noticed that the same people who stay silent, will speak up if they are required to have cameras on.