A new study by the global staffing firm Robert Half shows video calls may be wearing on workers.
More than three-quarters of professionals surveyed (76%) said they participate in virtual meetings. Those respondents reported spending nearly one-third of their workday on camera with business contacts or colleagues, according to Half.
In addition, 38% said they’ve experienced video call fatigue since the start of the pandemic and 24% confirmed they find virtual meetings inefficient and exhausting and prefer to communicate via other channels, like email or phone.
The most common video call pet peeves were dealing with technical issues (28%) and too many meeting participants and people talking over each other (19%). Also, 25% of working parents reported spending more than half of their on-the-job hours in virtual meetings.
The survey also found that more women (47%) than men (32%) said they’re tired of videoconferencing.
Robert Half offers three tips designed to help professionals make the most of video calls:
- Test your tech. Check your computer’s camera, microphone and internet connection. Close any unused programs to increase your bandwidth and reduce the temptation to multitask.
- Limit the guest list. Small groups tend to be more effective and engaged. Make sure everyone you invite has something valuable to offer and a stake in the outcome.
- Set expectations from the get-go. Send an agenda and supporting materials in advance so participants can prepare. During the discussion, capture notes and action items to share in a recap.
