As virtual work environments continue to grow, Zoom meetings are becoming more common. Whether it’s a one-on-one meeting or a team meeting, sending a “Zoom invite” is more common than ever before.
Zoom meetings are a great way to connect with a virtual team and still have the “in-office” connection. Unfortunately, we’ve noticed proper Zoom etiquette doesn’t occur in many of these virtual environments. Below is a Do’s and Don’ts list to share with your team to educate everyone on proper Zoom etiquette techniques.
10 Do’s and Don’ts of Zoom Etiquette
- Don’t wear your PJ’s or lounge clothes for the meeting.
- Do wear a professional outfit. This is still a work meeting, even if you aren’t “in person.”
- Don’t have your laundry or other distractions in the video background.
- Do a quick background check and remove any unprofessional objects from the camera view.
- Don’t ignore your surroundings.
- Do pay attention to your room’s surroundings. Don’t sit in a dark room, have a lamp or window nearby to improve your onscreen appearance. Pay attention to any background noises, if necessary keep yourself muted until it’s your turn to talk.
- Don’t leave your camera turned off or away from your face during the meeting.
- Do make sure the camera is pointed towards your face and use the video option, when appropriate, for all meetings.
- Don’t stare downwards during the meeting.
- Do look at the camera and try to make eye contact with the other attendees. Just like in an in-person meeting, make sure you’re paying attention.
- Don’t just “wing it” during the meeting.
- Do make sure you know how the video platform works. This includes knowing how to turn your video and audio on and off, screen sharing, and double-checking that your onscreen name and photo is correct and appropriate.
- Don’t eat in the middle of the meeting.
- Do be considerate of the speaker and other attendees. No one wants to watch or hear you chew during the meeting. Plan out your meals accordingly.
- Don’t perform any personal tasks during the meeting. i.e., painting your nails, blowing your nose, playing with your hair, etc.
- Do keep it professional; just because this is a video meeting does not mean you can ignore proper meeting etiquette.
- Don’t watch the meeting in a common area.
- Do go to a secluded room or area for the meeting to reduce distractions from animals, children, and the TV.
- Don’t lounge in bed during a meeting.
- Do remember this is a professional environment. You should be in an appropriate location and sitting in a good position. This includes not driving a car while participating in a meeting.
Common Zoom Etiquette Questions
As working remotely and Zoom meetings become more popular, questions arise on proper Zoom etiquette. It’s important to remember there are no substitutions for good manners. Whether it’s in an in-person or virtual environment, following some basic guidelines can help you have a great Zoom meeting reputation.
What Is Proper Zoom Etiquette?
Etiquette is an acceptable form of behavior among professionals within a professional setting (Dictonary.com). As virtual meetings grow in popularity, you want to create a proper Zoom etiquette culture within your company. Building a good culture starts with educating everyone on virtual meeting expectations.
How Can I Be Respectful on Zoom?
The easiest way you can be respectful on a Zoom meeting is to treat it as an in-person meeting. How would you dress? How would you act? Would you be staring at your phone?
Keeping those questions in mind will help you to respect the meeting host and participants.
Is It Rude to Eat During a Zoom Meeting?
The best follow-up question is would you eat during an in-person meeting? Unless it were a lunch meeting, you would not see others eating salads, sandwiches, etc. It would be best to time out your meals and snacks before/after the Zoom meeting.
Share with Your Team!
Share this downloadable PDF on the Do’s and Don’ts of Zoom Etiquette with your team members to create a positive, virtual culture within your company.
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