Requiring Staff to be on Camera for Teams Calls?

[Anonymous]

It's fine to set an expectation, OP. I am fully remote and our team meetings are virtual. The norm is we are on camera but it's okay if someone isn't (so most meeting smile 80% of ppl have camera on). I agree with you that it changes the level of engagement and interaction.

We also have a basically camera-on norm (though not rule) in general. But for example if someone just calls me on Teams (unplanned) I won't usually turn it on - I view it more as a phone call.

[Anonymous]

It's so personal for many people. Some always have theirs on (usually me) as they are extroverts and like to see faces. Some are always off. My team of 80 is spread out and some of the staff are always on and some never. We are almost all at various offices and I visit multiple times a year. I honestly dont care, half the time there are slides or notes shared anyway. For a one-one that we can't do in person and then I like cameras on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's so personal for many people. Some always have theirs on (usually me) as they are extroverts and like to see faces. Some are always off. My team of 80 is spread out and some of the staff are always on and some never. We are almost all at various offices and I visit multiple times a year. I honestly dont care, half the time there are slides or notes shared anyway. For a one-one that we can't do in person and then I like cameras on.

This is mind boggling to me. What does it matter whether someone is introverted or extroverted if the job requires you to work with people? What would you do if you were in the office?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would consider posing it as a goal rather than a requirement. I know camera's on is bad for women's moral - sometimes, I don't feel like getting camera ready and there is zero chance I'm turning the camera on without makeup.

Why don't you tell your team how you feel, tell them that you'd like to avoid a mandate and ask that they turn their camera's on for most meetings. Tell them that you understand that there will be moments/days where it doesn't work but you'd like people to make an effort to be on camera.

I hope you have to go into the office since you're clearly absuing the work from home arrangement.

What? I don't have to put makeup on to do my job. Of course, I get appropriately ready when I have external or important internal meetings. And yeah, I go into the office regularly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's fine to set an expectation, OP. I am fully remote and our team meetings are virtual. The norm is we are on camera but it's okay if someone isn't (so most meeting smile 80% of ppl have camera on). I agree with you that it changes the level of engagement and interaction.

We also have a basically camera-on norm (though not rule) in general. But for example if someone just calls me on Teams (unplanned) I won't usually turn it on - I view it more as a phone call.

This. We have a weekly leadership call where sometimes people need to eat their lunch so they turn their camera off. Everyone gets it. No big deal. I think setting an expectation or a norm, without mandating cameras on is the way to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would consider posing it as a goal rather than a requirement. I know camera's on is bad for women's moral - sometimes, I don't feel like getting camera ready and there is zero chance I'm turning the camera on without makeup.

Why don't you tell your team how you feel, tell them that you'd like to avoid a mandate and ask that they turn their camera's on for most meetings. Tell them that you understand that there will be moments/days where it doesn't work but you'd like people to make an effort to be on camera.

I hope you have to go into the office since you're clearly absuing the work from home arrangement.

What? I don't have to put makeup on to do my job. Of course, I get appropriately ready when I have external or important internal meetings. And yeah, I go into the office regularly.

Notice how you're the only one talking about makeup. No one is requiring you to put makeup on to do your job. However, they are requiring you to be ready to do your job to the full extent every day, whether you are at home or at the office. So if you don't feel like you can do your job properly without makeup, then you get up a little earlier, put your makeup on instead of making this wild claim that you can't be on a call without makeup.

[Anonymous]

I would have the camera on, but pretend I'm on a conference call with headset on and no video on the screen. I find the video so distracting. So, not sure this is what you'd want..

[Anonymous]

I find it just mind boggling that people here think they are entitled to work from home AND not be on camera. If my boss has her camera on, mine is also on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would have the camera on, but pretend I'm on a conference call with headset on and no video on the screen. I find the video so distracting. So, not sure this is what you'd want..

So you can't perform the basic duties of your job? Hope your employer knows that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it just mind boggling that people here think they are entitled to work from home AND not be on camera. If my boss has her camera on, mine is also on.

So many completely clueless, entitled people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it just mind boggling that people here think they are entitled to work from home AND not be on camera. If my boss has her camera on, mine is also on.

Right! I agree. And to the person who said she wont be on camera without makeup, then put on makeup!! You say your job doesn't require makeup. But it may require being on camera so... if you require makeup to be on camera then that's on you to workout.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it just mind boggling that people here think they are entitled to work from home AND not be on camera. If my boss has her camera on, mine is also on.

Ditto. I am part of a team of 13. We have a monthly Zoom meeting led by the head of our department who is in a different building. It would be unheard of for someone to turn their camera off. (And I say this as an introverted socially anxious millennial.) We are all full time in office- I have never worked remotely, even during Covid (well, as of this past January, we get two remote days a month.), and it is bizarre to image a work culture like this. If everyone turned their cameras off, I'm sure I would too - then I could surf the internet or fold some laundry while I stayed on the call. I get why employees like it. But it is so disrespectful and unprofessional, and it cannot be healthy for society to be isolated like this from each other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it just mind boggling that people here think they are entitled to work from home AND not be on camera. If my boss has her camera on, mine is also on.

Ditto. I am part of a team of 13. We have a monthly Zoom meeting led by the head of our department who is in a different building. It would be unheard of for someone to turn their camera off. (And I say this as an introverted socially anxious millennial.) We are all full time in office- I have never worked remotely, even during Covid (well, as of this past January, we get two remote days a month.), and it is bizarre to image a work culture like this. If everyone turned their cameras off, I'm sure I would too - then I could surf the internet or fold some laundry while I stayed on the call. I get why employees like it. But it is so disrespectful and unprofessional, and it cannot be healthy for society to be isolated like this from each other.

You are so right. My next door is a fed who recently started going back to the office. She has been fully remote since covid. The amount of anxiety this produced in her is uncanny. Mostly because now she has to be around people. She admits that she lost so many social skills being so isolated and is actually glad in a way she has to get out of the house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's so personal for many people. Some always have theirs on (usually me) as they are extroverts and like to see faces. Some are always off. My team of 80 is spread out and some of the staff are always on and some never. We are almost all at various offices and I visit multiple times a year. I honestly dont care, half the time there are slides or notes shared anyway. For a one-one that we can't do in person and then I like cameras on.

This is mind boggling to me. What does it matter whether someone is introverted or extroverted if the job requires you to work with people? What would you do if you were in the office?

These are the precious snowflakes who ruin it for everyone

[Anonymous]

For most of my team it’s just awkward because everyone is staring at their other monitor to work the entire call.