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The average professional spends more than half of their 40-hour work week in virtual meetings, according to a 2023 Gitnux report. That’s a lot of time to be facing your colleagues and partners from the same standard webcam angle.
If so much of how others see you is through a screen, then part of your image as a professional is determined by the quality of your videos. Enhance it using FineCam Pro, an AI-powered app that gives you a variety of video tools that could turn your same old virtual meeting into a dynamic presentation.
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FineCam is a presentation tool that uses AI and an intuitive multi-cam control panel to give you more options for how you present yourself. If your office lighting is unflattering, FineCam can color- and image-correct to help you look the way you want. It still maintains your natural appearance, but it helps you avoid looking washed out.
Presenting with a visual aid? Don’t bother with a clunky picture-in-picture setup. Just replace your background with your presentation materials. You can also remove or blur your background to maintain your professional privacy if you’re working from home.
If you’re creating content for social media, you can even use FineCam to add custom branding along with cinematic filters and effects. Record videos for social media on the same device you use to meet with your team.
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Whether you’re meeting with a client or recording something for Facebook, you may not need to leave the comfort of your webcam.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
As we navigate the post-pandemic world, the question of how to conduct effective video meetings has become a hot topic. One particular point of contention is whether to keep cameras on or off during these meetings. As an expert in hybrid work models, I’ve had the privilege of helping numerous organizations navigate this new terrain. Recently, I had an enlightening conversation with Nick Bloom of Stanford University, who is one of the leaders of the WFH Research group and has conducted extensive research on this very topic.
Nick’s research — which surveyed 10,000 working Americans — revealed some surprising facts. Even in small meetings of four people or less, less than half of the participants had their cameras on all the time. This was a surprising revelation, considering the common assumption that smaller meetings would naturally encourage more camera usage.
The research also found that having cameras on during meetings significantly increases engagement. Half of the respondents reported feeling more engaged when their cameras were on, and they perceived others in the meeting as more engaged as well. This symmetry in perception is a strong argument for the “cameras on” camp.
This finding is particularly significant in the context of the hybrid work model. With employees working remotely, video meetings are often the only opportunity for face-to-face interaction. The visual cues that come with having cameras on — the nods of agreement, the puzzled frowns, the smiles of understanding — can go a long way in fostering a sense of connection and collaboration.
The downside of constant visibility
However, it’s not all rosy in the world of video meetings. I brought up a study in the Journal of Applied Psychology in 2021 that showed that having cameras on during meetings can lead to increased fatigue. This is a significant concern, as employee well-being is a crucial factor in productivity and overall job satisfaction.
Nick Bloom agreed with this finding, noting that being more engaged in a meeting, which is more likely when your camera is on, can indeed be more tiring. It’s akin to the difference between sitting through a math exam versus randomly ticking off answers. The former requires more mental energy and concentration, leading to fatigue.
This raises an important question: Is the increased engagement worth the potential fatigue? The answer, as is often the case, is not black and white. It depends on a variety of factors, including the nature of the meeting, the participants involved, and the overall work culture of the organization.
Striking the right balance
So, how do we reconcile the need for engagement with the potential for fatigue? The key lies in finding the right balance and setting appropriate norms. For smaller meetings, it’s advisable to encourage camera usage. However, it’s also crucial to avoid back-to-back meetings, which can exacerbate fatigue.
Institutions like Harvard and MIT have adopted a practice of leaving a 10-minute gap between classes to allow students to rest and recharge. This practice can be effectively applied to the corporate world as well, with meetings ending five minutes before the hour or half-hour to give employees a chance to take a break.
This approach not only helps to mitigate fatigue but also allows employees time to process the information from the meeting and prepare for the next one. It’s a simple yet effective way to enhance the productivity and effectiveness of video meetings.
The importance of meeting standards
The decision to turn cameras on or off could also be guided by the nature and importance of the meeting. For instance, in a weekly standard meeting where everyone is merely sharing reports, only the presenter might need to have their camera on. However, for more collaborative meetings where observing body language and reactions is crucial, having cameras on would be beneficial.
If a meeting is deemed non-critical, and participants can afford to pay half attention, perhaps that meeting should be reconsidered or converted into a written format. This approach would save time and reduce unnecessary fatigue. It would also respect the time and energy of the participants, allowing them to focus on tasks that require their full attention.
In contrast, for meetings that require active collaboration and discussion, having cameras on can significantly enhance the quality of the interaction. Being able to see each other’s expressions and reactions can foster a sense of connection and mutual understanding that is hard to achieve through voice alone.
While having cameras on during video meetings can enhance engagement, it’s essential to be mindful of the potential for fatigue. By setting clear norms, allowing for breaks between meetings, and considering the nature and importance of each meeting, we can optimize the use of video meetings in the hybrid work model.
The world of work is continually evolving, and as we adapt to these changes, it’s crucial to keep the well-being and productivity of employees at the forefront. The debate of camera on or off is just one aspect of this larger conversation. As we continue to explore and understand this new terrain, let’s remember to keep our focus on creating an environment that fosters engagement, productivity and overall job satisfaction.
Remember, the goal isn’t just to survive in this new world of work, but to thrive in it. So, the next time you find yourself in a video meeting, consider the impact of that little camera icon. It’s not just about visibility, but about engagement, productivity, and well-being.
As we continue to navigate the hybrid work model, let’s keep the conversation going. Let’s keep questioning, exploring and finding the best ways to work in this brave new world. After all, the future of work is here, and it’s up to us to shape it.
The debate over camera usage in video meetings is a microcosm of the broader challenges we face in the hybrid work model. It’s a reminder that we need to continually reassess and adapt our practices to ensure that they serve the well-being and productivity of our employees.
So, whether you choose to turn your camera on or off in your next video meeting, remember that the ultimate goal is to create a work environment that is engaging, productive, and respectful of the well-being of all participants. And that is a goal worth striving for.
Employee burnout is real and can be heightened by inefficient work processes. And since hiring and retaining talent remains a top concern for CFOs, some are working toward curbing the stress levels of their team members—by also curbing daily video meetings.
This week, Gina Mastantuono, CFO of the software company ServiceNow, shared a LinkedIn post with her thoughts about research on brain wave activity, which found back-to-back video meetings increase stress levels. “Those of us working in a hybrid model feel it,” Mastantuono writes. “It’s why I changed it up and set some new guidelines for our ServiceNow finance employees.”
“Our Zoom meetings are no longer 30 or 60 minutes,” she writes. “The majority of our meetings in finance now last 20-25 minutes with a five-minute buffer to stretch and take a mental break before the next meeting starts,” Mastantuono writes. “We’ve been at it for the last several months and see a stark difference.”
“We’ve also instituted Friday WIN (What’s Important Now) time,” she explains. “Every Friday from 1-5 p.m. (local time), everyone in finance blocks their calendars and is discouraged from having video meetings. The purpose is an intentional focus. It gives us space to catch up on reading, writing, and whatever is essential to get your job done healthily, without constant interruption.” Mastantuono added, “Listening to your employees’ feedback is pure gold.”
The last time I chatted with Xihao Hu, CFO at TD Bank in the U.S., he shared with me best practices in data storytelling. This time Hu shared his thoughts on making meetings less stressful. “I’ve read several articles and stories recently about companies encouraging employees to cancel all meetings or cut back on their meetings throughout the day,” he told me. “This has definitely sparked my interest and influenced my way of thinking.” As a company, TD has encouraged employees to hold 20-to-25-minute meetings vs. 30-minute time blocks, and “We practice well-being by taking screen breaks or walking meetings,” Hu says.
Regarding employee engagement, TD’s “Training Days,” which include a full day of workshops and panel discussions, “gives employees the flexibility to dive into a variety of interesting topics mapped to their career development or areas of interest,” Hu says. “We block out the calendars well in advance to avoid meeting conflicts on Training Days,” he says.
Hu also told me what he does personally to combat burnout. “As a leader, it’s important that I practice what I preach because everyone needs support from leadership when finding work-life balance,” he explains. “I block ‘me’ time in the calendar where I enjoy spending time with my parents or watching soccer. I also share how I spend my time through open, honest, and frequent communication with my entire team. It starts at the top and creates a positive ripple effect which hopefully helps avoid meeting fatigue.”
I asked Alka Tandan, CFO at tech company Gainsight, her thoughts about video meetings. “We’re very aware that our remote-first workplace can easily lead to virtual meeting fatigue,” Tandan told me. Gainsight makes use of the “speedy meetings” setting in Google Calendar, which “limits meetings to 25 or 50 minutes and helps us avoid back-to-back calls when possible,” she says. Tandan encourages department leaders to identify certain days of the week that are “focus days” where internal departmental meetings are discouraged, she says. “It gives us the time and energy to focus on getting work done and forces us to ask if a meeting is truly necessary to accomplish our goals,” she explains. “We still meet externally with other departments, vendors, or customers.”
“Gainsight has strict rules on weekend emails,” she says. “We ask employees to try and avoid work emails on Saturdays so everyone can take some well-deserved time off.” And in addition to regular unlimited PTO, weekends and public holidays, employees get an extra day off each month called “Recharge Days.”
Chalk time and meeting management up to yet another line item CFOs are having to become experts at balancing.
The 2022 U.S. Bank CFO Insights Report, gauges the priorities of finance leaders as they navigate uncertain times. Regarding inflation risks, the top practices are identifying opportunities to cut costs (57%), evaluating the credit risk of major customers (35%), evaluating working capital practices (32%), and pricing (32%). However, CFOs surveyed view the talent shortage as the top risk, more so than high inflation, according to the report. Ways finance leaders plan to cut costs include investing in technology, discontinuing low-margin/low-growth business lines, and outsourcing certain business functions. The results are based on a survey of 750 senior finance leaders who work in U.S. businesses across multiple sectors.
Donald R. Kimble, CFO and chief administrative officer at KeyCorp (NYSE:KEY) will retire on May 1, 2023. He will be succeeded by Clark H.I. Khayat, currently chief strategy officer. Khayat joined KeyCorp in 2012, leading corporate strategy and then serving as group head of commercial payments. He established Key’s enterprise payments and fintech partnership strategies. Khayat led the company’s strategy to build scale through a series of investments in capabilities such as digital and analytics as well as successful niche acquisitions, including Laurel Road, Cain Brothers, and Pacific Crest.
Nancy Walsh was named CFO at Katapult Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: KPLT), an omnichannel point-of-sale payment platform, effective Dec. 12. Former CFO Karissa Cupito is transitioning into a senior advisory role to support the transition through the first quarter of 2023. Walsh most recently was EVP and CFO of LL Flooring Holdings, Inc., a retailer of hardwood flooring and hardwood flooring accessories. Before joining LL Flooring Holdings, Walsh was EVP and CFO of Pier 1 Imports, Inc. She has also held senior finance and risk management roles at The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc., Tapestry, Inc., Viacom, and Timberland.
John Klinger was promoted to EVP and CFO at The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TJX), an off-price retailer of apparel and home fashions, effective Jan. 29, 2023. Klinger joined TJX in 2000 as a manager of business analysis at Marmaxx. He held various finance positions within HomeGoods and Marmaxx before being promoted to VP, divisional CFO for AJWright. Klinger then held the positions of VP of corporate finance and SVP, divisional CFO, TJX Europe. He later became EVP and corporate controller.
Andrew Murphy was promoted to CFO at Duos Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Duos Technologies Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DUOT), effective Nov. 15. Since 2020, Murphy has served as VP of finance at Duos. Before joining Duos, Murphy held progressively senior finance roles within APR Energy. Before his time with APR, Murphy worked in corporate and public accounting with a focus on tax and business services.
Donald C. Templin was named EVP and CFO at Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), a health, wealth, and investment company. Templin most recently served as EVP and CFO of Marathon Petroleum Corp. He also served as CFO of MPLX LP, a diversified, large-cap master limited partnership formed by Marathon Petroleum. Before joining Marathon Petroleum in 2011, he held several roles at PwC, including serving as a partner at the firm.
Jason Conley was promoted to CFO at Roper Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: ROP), a producer of engineered products for global niche markets, effective Feb. 1, 2023. Conley will succeed Rob Crisci as EVP and CFO. Conley, 47, is currently VP and chief accounting officer at Roper. He joined the company in 2006 as head of financial planning and analysis and investor relations. Conley also served as SVP of finance and HR at Roper’s Managed Health Care Associates business.
Overheard
“Our annual planning process extends into the new year, which means there will be more role reductions as leaders continue to make adjustments. Those decisions will be shared with impacted employees and organizations early in 2023.”
—Amazon CEO Andy Jassy wrote in a memo to workers on Thursday that the company will continue to lay off employees in the coming year, CNBC reported.
