Video conferencing has become the new norm in today’s digitally connected workplace. The rise of telecommuting in the wake of COVID-19 has led to fewer face-to-face meetings. Instead, businesses now use video conferencing software to communicate with employees, customers, clients, vendors, and others.
Research shows that over half of the U.S. workforce currently participates in video conferences. If you’ve been asked to participate in video conferences, though, you’ll need to set up your home office. Most home offices lack the equipment and design needed for productive virtual meetings. Fortunately, you can master video conferencing from your home office by following a few simple tips.
Prepare a Backdrop
You should prepare a backdrop for use in video conferences. A backdrop, of course, is a physical background. When participating in a video conference, you’ll sit in front of a backdrop. Some of the backdrop will typically be visible on the video conferencing software. The individual or individuals with whom you conduct the video conference will see your face surrounded by the backdrop.
What type of backdrop should you use exactly? One idea is to use office furniture. You can move a tall bookcase behind your office desk, for instance. As long as it completely covers the background, a bookcase will serve as an effective backdrop. Another idea is to use a canvas backdrop. Canvas backdrops are large pieces of canvas material that function as a backdrop. Just hang or drape a canvas backdrop on the wall behind your office desk, and you’ll be good to go.
Even an empty wall can serve as an effective backdrop. Without any decorations, it won’t draw attention away from your face. Rather, an empty wall will simply fill the background with a plain, single color.
There are also virtual backdrops. A virtual backdrop is simply a computer-generated background. While some office workers use them, virtual backdrops aren’t recommended. In video conferences, they look and feel ingenuine. You’ll project a more genuine appearance by using a real backdrop. Whether it’s a piece of office furniture or an empty wall, a real backdrop is a better choice.
Check the Lighting
Don’t forget to check the lighting when setting up your home office for video conferences. For other individuals to see you on the video conferencing software, you’ll need ample lighting. Light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs are great for video conferences. They are brighter than incandescent bulbs, and according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), consume 75% less energy.
While brightness is important, the position of your home office’s lighting is arguably even more important. A common mistake that workers make when participating in video conferences from a home office is positioning the lighting behind them. If the lamp or fixture is behind you, it won’t illuminate your face. Rather, it will create a dark silhouette.
For effective and productive video conferences, position the lighting in front of you so that it shines down and illuminates your face. If the overhead fixture is already positioned here, you won’t have to take any additional steps. If it’s positioned elsewhere, consider buying a tall lamp to place in front of your office desk.
Prevent Interruptions
Interruptions are more than just a nuisance during video conferences; they can harm your productivity. If a family member enters your home office while you are participating in a video conference, you’ll have to pause the virtual meeting. Even if it’s only for 30 seconds, these brief interruptions will disrupt your video conferences and make them less productive.
To prevent interruptions, consider placing a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door to your home office. When family members see it, they’ll know that you are participating in a video conference. You can remove the sign once the virtual meeting is over.
Invest in a High-Quality Webcam
The quality of your webcam matters. While most laptop computers, as well as many desktops, have a built-in webcam, they are typically cheap and low quality. To ensure that you look your best, you should buy a separate webcam to use during video conferences.
Here are some tips on how to choose a high-quality webcam:
- Choose a webcam that supports full 1080p high-definition (HD) resolution. 1080p is the most common HD format, so it’s supported by most computer monitors.
- Make sure it’s compatible with your computer’s operating system. Some webcams are designed specifically for Windows, whereas others are designed for macOS.
- Check the frames per second (FPS). A webcam with a high FPS will produce smoother, less choppy images than a webcam with a low FPS.
- Look for a webcam with a built-in microphone. Many high-quality webcams come with a microphone, which you’ll also need when participating in video conferences.
- Make sure the webcam is easy to mount. Most webcams feature a clip-based mounting method. You can clip them onto the front of your computer monitor so that they project towards your face. Some webcams are free-standing, meaning you stand them up on your office desk.
- Stick with a name brand. A few of the top webcam brands include Logitech, Microsoft, and Razer, all of which are known for their quality.
- Search for customer reviews online. Before committing to a new webcam, perform a Google search to see what other users have said about it. If the webcam has a lot of positive reviews, it’s probably a good investment.
Clean the Clutter
If your office desk is cluttered, you should tidy it up. Depending on how your webcam is positioned, it may reveal some of your office desk. A cluttered desk, of course, doesn’t look very professional. According to a survey cited by Forbes, over half of workers admit to judging their coworkers based on the cleanliness of their desks.
Aside from looking unprofessional, a cluttered office desk may lead to lower productivity levels. It will probably take you longer to find specific documents or items if your desk is cluttered. At the same time, clutter will distract you from work-related tasks. The bottom line is that you should tidy up your office desk.
Raise Your Office Chair
You’ll probably need to raise your office chair when participating in video conferences. Most office workers don’t sit at eye level with their computer monitor. They sit several inches below eye level. Assuming you mount your webcam to the top of your computer monitor, however, you’ll need to sit eye level with it. Otherwise, your webcam won’t focus on your face.
Raising your office chair will allow you to sit eye level with your computer monitor. Most office chairs have a bar on the side that, when pulled or pressed, raises them. By engaging this bar, you can raise your office chair to an appropriate height so that your eyes are parallel to your computer monitor.
Unfortunately, not all office chairs feature an adjustable height. They are designed with nonadjustable legs at a fixed height. If your office chair falls under this category, you may be able to lower your computer monitor. But like office chairs, not all computer monitors feature an adjustable height. If video conferences are a regular part of your workday, upgrading to an office chair with an adjustable height is probably a good idea.
Dress Professionally
Always dress professionally during video conferences. Research shows that roughly two in three workers do, in fact, dress professionally. Nonetheless, that means about one-third of the telecommuting workforce wear casual attire during video conferences.
The clothes you wear during video conferences will affect how you are perceived. Dressing professionally sends the message that you are serious about your job and want to succeed. Dressing casually, conversely, creates an unprofessional level that could hurt your efforts to advance up the corporate ladder.
If your employer has a dress code, follow it. Dress codes are generally intended for corporate office settings, but they are also suitable for video conferences. Without a specific dress code, choose a formal outfit like a suit. You can’t go wrong with a suit. There are men’s suits and women’s suits, all of which look professional.
Perfect Your Posture
Along with dressing professionally, make sure your posture is correct during video conferences. Posture is a form of body language. It sends certain messages that the people around you – or on the other side of the video conferencing software – will pick up. These messages can be positive or negative, depending on your posture.
According to Forbes, good posture sends the message that you’re energetic and enthusiastic, whereas slouching sends the opposite message. For good posture, sit upright so the upper and lower parts of your back are aligned. With good posture, you’ll send positive messages during video conferences, and you’ll be better protected against musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).
Stretch Beforehand
You may want to stretch before a video conference begins. Video conferences can last a long time. Some studies suggest that the average length of a video conference is between 30 and 60 minutes. That means you could be sitting in the same spot for up to an hour – sometimes even longer. By stretching immediately before the video conference, you’ll be less likely to experience discomfort. Stretching gives you the opportunity to loosen up your muscles and joints so that they don’t cramp up during the virtual meeting.
What’s the best way to stretch before a virtual meeting? There are dozens of stretching techniques, each targeting a specific area of your body. Bending down to touch your knees, for example, targets your arms and back. To stretch your neck and shoulders, you can perform a corner stretch. Regardless, try to spend five minutes stretching your body before each virtual meeting. Whether it lasts 30 minutes or 60 minutes, stretching will minimize your risk of discomfort when sitting in front of your webcam.
Disable Audible Notifications
You should disable audible notifications on your computer. Video conferencing software will exchange both video and audio data. Therefore, any sounds that occur in your home office will be heard by the individuals with whom you are virtually meeting. If an audible notification goes off on your computer, the video conferencing software will transmit it.
In Windows 10, you can disable audible notifications from the Settings app. After launching the Settings app, click “System” and select “Notifications & Actions.” Click on each of the notifications listed here and toggle the option for “Play a sound when a notification occurs” to the off position. Windows 10 will still display the notifications, but it won’t create a sound when they go off.
Smartphones can produce audible notifications as well. If you keep your smartphone near your office desk, set it to silent. Once the virtual meeting has wrapped up, you can revert your computer and smartphone back to their original settings.
Perform a Dry Run
Before participating in your first video conference, perform a dry run. A dry run is simply a test in which you record yourself in front of a webcam. When you play it back, you’ll be able to see yourself from the perspective of those with whom you virtually meet.
To perform a dry run, record yourself talking in front of your webcam for a few minutes. Ideally, you should use the same video conferencing software that you use for virtual meetings. Once recorded, play back the video while taking note of any problems you notice. Maybe the visual quality is grainy or perhaps your face isn’t in the center of the webcam. A dry run will allow you to identify these problems so that they don’t occur during the real virtual meetings.
It’s a good idea to perform a dry run whenever you make a change to your home office. If you buy a new webcam, for instance, perform a dry run. If you rearrange your office furniture, perform another dry run. No matter how small, changes to your home office can affect your appearance in video conferences.
President at Office Chairs Unlimited – I have been in the furniture industry for over 20 years, and I’m an expert (just ask me) on all things furniture. I know a thing or two because I’ve seen a thing or two.
