Some pretty blunt, slightly horrifying, but hopefully useful, tips for video conference etiquette

I’ve sat in on a lot of videoconference / virtual meetings on Teams, Zoom, Google Meet.

I’m not suggesting I am on my own.

Anyone that has been in the workforce during or 2020 has probably sat in on as many if not more than me.

Many of the meetings I sit in on, I am observing and taking notes.

That offers me a wonderful opportunity to watch others and see how they use the technology and the funny, embarrassing, or at times rude and awkward things that people do.

So in a list, I’m going to share my observations with you.

Just for fun, but maybe also so we can all learn something from other people’s mistakes.

My tips for using videoconferencing

1. Check your microphone works before the meeting - honestly the microphone “not working” happens way too often

2. Look somewhere near, or at least in the general direction of the camera

3.Try not to look too bored - even if you are

4. Put the phone next to the computer if you are going to dial someone in - this is not ideal, but it’s sometimes necessary (see tip #7)

5. Don’t press mute if you are the one dialling someone in on the phone

6. The technology not working is different to the fact that you didn’t check whether you needed to download an app until 2 minutes after the meeting started - try to be prepared

7. If the meeting organiser asks you if you can use Teams or Zoom or Google Meet or whatever… and you say yes … they are probably going to expect you to use that platform. The group may be people from various locations and the best way to communicate with you is on that platform. It is awkward if you are waiting for a phone call and they are all sitting there waiting for you to join.
(Note: for most meetings, the join link will be in your calendar, not your email so check there.)

8. Think about what is in your background peeps! The person interviewing you does not need to see your empty Bundaberg Rum bottle collection - or maybe they do … it really depends on the message you are sending. Consider using a background from the platform or at least the blur feature.

9. If you are recording a session for someone to listen to later and note your decisions down, keep recording whilst you are discussing the decisions - it really helps them to complete their notes. In case I am not clear - do not finish the recording before the conversation is complete.

10. If you are excused from a meeting because you aren’t needed in the second part of it, it’s expected that you’ll wave or say bye bye and go - it’s just weird to have to be told to leave.

11. If you want to keep confidentiality between a series of meetings (ie interviews) make separate meetings- it’s super awkward when people pop in to other people’s meetings.

12. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not cool to drive with your phone in your lap and have all the other meeting participants see up your nose. It is also rather illegal in Australia.

13. Best to check if you’ve disabled participants from doing something before arguing with them about how they SHOULD be able to do it. Again - super awkward for everyone when you’ve muted them and the you tell them to turn their microphone on.

14. If you’ve asked everyone to be on mute when not talking, it’s nice for you then to allow people enough time to unmute and talk if you call for questions - I’ve found unmuting takes a few seconds where the brain and the hand have to work together to click the button.

15. If you are scrolling through a document shared on screen in a meeting, make sure you keep on the right page for the participants - it’s hard to follow the conversation otherwise.

16. In a meeting with questions via chat, please consider getting someone to monitor the chat for you - it’s really hard to run a presentation, the meeting and the chat all at once (also, you need to check the chat).

17. Be thoughtful about what you are scratching during boring meetings

18. If you are planning to talk to your colleagues in the same office during an online meeting, I beg you - hit mute first.

19. Actually, it’s just always good to hit mute if you are mainly listening- you’d be surprised the sounds your microphone can pick up.

19.a [2025 edit] Now that these platforms can block out ambient noise, consider turning this feature on or off, depending on how you are communicating.

20. If you are sitting really close to the microphone, please don’t turn your pages or tap or click your pen right next to it- it’s hard to hear the conversation (and bl@@dy annoying).

21. If you are running a meeting through your laptop and the microphone is on your laptop, please don’t type notes at the same time - it’s impossible to hear. Especially if you have beautiful but noisy nails.

22. Body language is diluted OR exaggerated on a video conference, consider the idea of sitting still OR making purposeful body movements like raising your hand, smiling, thumbs upping or waving.

23. Keep a hair brush and lipstick on your desk, I have found these to be life savers.

24. Don’t have a teams meeting without headphones in an open plan office or café or on an aeroplane or in a library or a doctors surgery - you know who you are.

25. The car is a nice quiet place to have a virtual meeting, if you get desperate. The toilet is a terrible place to have a virtual meeting.

26. If you are wearing pyjama pants (or worse/less) with your work top/shirt when working from home, might I ask that you either turn off you camera, angle it differently or slide away on your wheeled office chair so that you can keep that fact to yourself.

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. Remember: pictures are worth 1000 words.

I hope these little observations of mine have helped you in some way.

I also hope they will help me, as honestly, there are somethings I cannot un-see.

Happy videoconferencing.

Ciao

Conni

PS. Let me know via a message if you have others I should add to this list.