Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone feel like a vocal minority is championing this thread? I love the occasional audio only call, but video chat feels like the bargain we made for WFH 3-4 days per week.

What bargain? I’m saving the company dollars by WFH. More productivity, no office space, internet, amenities that you pay for. I’d easily lose 2 hrs commuting to office and log off a lot earlier if not WFH.

The bargain is you not having commute time.

You are wasting company dollars by having less efficient conversations.

Anonymous wrote:Camera on person and not a manager. I feel like it's a compromise - I'm hybrid and I know so many people being called into office more and have little flexibility. If I was a manager and had a spot to fill, I would choose the worker who does camera on vs. camera off. They seem more engaged.

This.

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.

You wouldn't appreciate seeing me.

Anonymous wrote:Camera on people fall within 3 buckets in my experience:
- company culture requires it
- power play
- people who don't have enough work

Busy people don't like to have cameras on.

I can multitask with camera on. Camera off is for ugly people and people who want to sneak out of the meeting.

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.

Our meetings generally fall into these categories:
2-3 people is camera on
3-12 is generally whoever’s meeting it is camera on and probably 50% of the rest
12+ is just who is speaking

No one cares. We had a 12ish people meeting where a new manager was being introduced and everyone went camera on. Interviews are camera on. I have two computers and one doesn’t even have video and no one has ever cared.

Anonymous wrote:What is this, 3rd grade? Who cares if I “pay attention”?? Mind your own business and do your work, and I’ll worry about mine. I’m not obligated to “pay attention” to you. And I’m certainly not obligated to show you my face on video.

Ironic that most of the people who were obsessed with masks are the same people now obsessed with seeing my face.

I can hear the professional success shining through here.

Anonymous wrote:An article out today that one of the biggest reasons management wants workers back in office is because it is difficult to monitor employees. For all the people who do really well WFH, many take advantage of it. And it's those who take advantage that who makes it harder for those of us who do well at home to keep that advantage.

I turn camera on regularly (not always) so people see me and see that I am "at work".

+1. At my employer (a large Fortune 100 corporation), the culture is to have your camera on. Employees take the time to look presentable, and have a nice background (whether their actual home, or a nice virtual background).

I think that it helps the WFH "cause" to have the camera on and look good. If someone refuses to turn on their camera, we assume that they are multi-tasking, or didn't take the time to get ready that morning. For people who want to advance in the company, it's generally wise to have their camera on at least while speaking.

My organizations culture is strongly camera off. To the point where if someone joins with their camera on, someone will mention it to them.

Probably because of that, I find cameras on sooooooo annoying. I don't want to see you stretching or drinking or whatever (never mind kids/animals/etc) - your motion draws attention away from the chart package and speaker and towards the random person who isn't doing anything at all, but just got up to get a glass of water or whatever.

During COVID we'd have a once every other week cameras on lunch meeting just to keep connected. Now that we're hybrid, that doesn't happen.

Anonymous wrote:Why join a meeting if camera off and you are not talking. Just say no

Do you not have a job where you need to get information and status updates and learn from other people?

Camera on person and not a manager. I feel like it's a compromise - I'm hybrid and I know so many people being called into office more and have little flexibility. If I was a manager and had a spot to fill, I would choose the worker who does camera on vs. camera off. They seem more engaged.

Anonymous wrote:What is this, 3rd grade? Who cares if I “pay attention”?? Mind your own business and do your work, and I’ll worry about mine. I’m not obligated to “pay attention” to you. And I’m certainly not obligated to show you my face on video.

Ironic that most of the people who were obsessed with masks are the same people now obsessed with seeing my face.

If you are in a meeting and someone else is speaking, then yes -- you are "obligated" to pay attention. Less than that is unprofessional.

Anonymous wrote:Camera on people fall within 3 buckets in my experience:
- company culture requires it
- power play
- people who don't have enough work

Busy people don't like to have cameras on.

Nope- I'm an extremely busy person (as are most people in my org). I have my camera on to show the other person that I'm engaging with them. There's a lot of interpersonal communication that's communicated through faces. We're friendly.

No one is actually judging you for the way that you look. Some of you people are crazy with the camera avoidance.

Anonymous wrote:Anyone feel like a vocal minority is championing this thread? I love the occasional audio only call, but video chat feels like the bargain we made for WFH 3-4 days per week.

What bargain? I’m saving the company dollars by WFH. More productivity, no office space, internet, amenities that you pay for. I’d easily lose 2 hrs commuting to office and log off a lot earlier if not WFH.

Camera on people fall within 3 buckets in my experience:
- company culture requires it
- power play
- people who don't have enough work

Busy people don't like to have cameras on.