If I don’t have a meeting just before, I will join when I get the 5 minute reminder. I just check email and do administrative things until people join.

I don’t expect others to join early - but if I dismiss the 5 min warning, I may get engrossed in an e-mail and forget to join on time.

Anonymous wrote:I sign in 5 minutes early in case I have technical difficulties. I go on mute, though, if I'm early.

Exactly this.

Use waiting rooms!

I host a lot of meetings, log on early to get set up, and start the meeting by admitting/welcoming people at the exact start time.

I forget otherwise. Sometimes I log in at the 5 minute warning, otherwise I’m engrossed in Excel.

I enter early to make sure everything is working, especially if it's my first meeting of the day.

To test camera, audio, backgrounds, files, etc. Don't want to be caught in a mess last minute.

Preparedness makes the meeting go so much better.

Anonymous wrote:So the meeting can start on time

This. I shoot for five mins early so if I have some issue, I’m not rolling in late and making everyone wait and waste time. Sometimes I chat but not usually. Sometimes I do the Wordle while I wait.

So the meeting can start on time

Because the meeting should begin at 3:00 or whenever so I get in a little early. Just like if it were in person. I agree with poster who said they hate waiting for people to trickle in and then start 10 minutes after the listed time. The host should begin presenting at the start time.

I hate the people who come early to meetings that I'm a guest at. I will come at 2:59pm to a 3pm meeting (max) and it feels like I've missed a full conversation.

If I am hosting, the room opens at 2:59:50pm or whatever.

^ and "catching up" is by default boring small talk.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I sign in 5 minutes early in case I have technical difficulties. I go on mute, though, if I'm early.

This. Or chat about nothing to try to get to know people better.

+2

Anonymous wrote:In this way, Zoom is EXACTLY like meeting in real life: I like to check in a little early to chat with other folks before the meeting starts - sometimes about things that are not on the meeting agenda.

Exactly. Imagine everyone arriving in the office conference room exactly at the time the meeting starts. Perhaps you don't like or know your colleagues OP? Collaborative work, IME, happens much better when people have connections, ever if it's just a few min. of catching up.

Because my outlook won’t ping me 1 minute before start time, only 5 minutes before. And then if you wait until the exact time, people are waiting and you can be late.

What is the big deal about starting meetings early? You can just mute yourself and work until everyone shows up.