With millions of people around the world working from home on a regular basis, getting into the habit of good digital communications can help you on a day-to-day basis and further along in your career. Attending meetings from home and communicating via video doesn’t come easy to a lot of workers, but there are several things you can do to present yourself better.
1. Choose Somewhere with Good Lighting
If you’re working in a dark corner or you don’t have easy access to a window, it can be difficult to effectively interact with colleagues and customers. This is particularly important if you are taking part in interviews or conducting meetings with external business partners and contacts.
Position your workspace in front of a window if possible, and use blinds or a thin curtain to help minimise bright lights and sun rays coming in during the day.
2. Know When to Turn Video Off
When you first enter a meeting, it can leave a positive initial impression if you have your camera switched on, at least for the first few minutes. This gives anyone you don’t know yet the chance to see your face, since homeworking can make this aspect of collaboration particularly difficult.
However, you don’t need to keep your video on for the entire time, especially if there are connection issues or if participants are working in a shared space and are not constantly looking at each other on the screen.
3. Make Sure Your Devices Work
Poor internet connection, blurry cameras, and dysfunctional microphones are just some of the most common problems that interfere with effective home working. Before joining meetings, check that your internet connection is stable and that you have a working camera and microphone.
Invest in a HD webcam if you have a lot of meetings with clients or partners and want to ensure high quality video calls which run smoothly.
4. Be Familiar with the Mute Button
Failing to put yourself on mute can lead to annoyances during the meeting. Leaving your microphone unmuted could mean that other participants hear feedback while they are speaking, or it could pick up background noises and disrupt parts of the meeting.
When you are not speaking, put your microphone on mute. Just remember to unmute before speaking again!
5. Join on Time
Working remotely can make it easier to lose track of time. It can also be challenging to move from one meeting to another smoothly if you don’t have any space for rest breaks in between.
While working in a shared physical space means that your colleagues can see when you are leaving or returning to the room, digital working doesn’t have this same advantage. Join meetings on time and communicate in advance if you’re running a few minutes late.
It can take time to become accustomed to online meetings, but being mindful of some of the key challenges can help you to make the best first impression. Get to know your devices, upgrade if needed, and communicate well regardless of whether you work primarily online or offline.
