ZOOM Video Meeting Etiquette

There is no substitute for good manners in all of our interactions, and they are appreciated more than ever in workplace meetings. Some age-old guidelines comprise meeting etiquette — being on time, maintaining eye contact, paying attention. Those same principles apply to video meetings and can also help elevate your personal reputation into “great meeting host” territory.

Don’t be the person in your organization known for scheduling lots of unproductive meetings. Practicing video meeting etiquette is critical to ensuring your meetings are professional, efficient, and valuable.

Common-sense meeting decorum — avoiding eating and drinking, minding your body language, and being respectful to whomever is speaking — are no-brainers. So we went directly to Zoom.com to find out what they believe are the most effective tips for hosting and participating in Zoom meetings. Here are nine tips to help ensure a focused and effective Zoom meeting:

1. Dress appropriately
   Wearing sweatpants or staying in pajamas all day can seem inviting. It is crucial, however, to remain professional and dress appropriately for virtual meetings. If you’re in a position to put on something, similar to what you would typically wear to work, it’s probably a good idea. It might make you feel a little more normal during unsettling times.
2. Have a clean, work-appropriate environment
   A clean work space with appropriate art and decorations in a quiet area with minimal background noise and movement is a must. Zoom’s virtual background feature is an easy way to eliminate background distractions when you have to meet in a messy or busy location. Position yourself facing a window or put an extra lamp behind your camera to highlight your face.
3. Make sure to introduce everyone.
   Quickly introduce all parties at the beginning of the meeting to create a welcoming environment and stimulate engagement.
4. Look into the camera when talking Position your web camera and monitor at eye level. Look into the camera to simulate eye-to-eye connection with other attendees, don’t look at yourself.
5. Eliminate distractions and focus on the agenda. Notifications from messaging applications, ringtones, and applications running on your desktop can be distracting, which can make your attendees feel disrespected and undervalued. Mitigating these distractions helps keep the meeting focused and free from interruption.
6. Be aware of your audio and video settings.
   Check whether your microphone is unmuted and that your camera is on to ensure all attendees can hear and see you when you speak. If you notice someone in the meeting who is speaking but their microphone is muted, you can alert them that they are muted by requesting that they unmute their audio in the Manage Participants tab. You also can manage how you start and join meetings — with video on, entering a meeting muted, etc. — in your Zoom Meeting Settings.
7. Don’t do other private things while on a meeting.
   We have all heard the stories about people being caught using the bathroom while on a video conference, thinking they were muted or had their video off. While on a call or participating in a meeting, try to remain focused and ensure your audio and video are both turned off before moving on to your next task or tending to private matters.
8. Only invite meeting participants who need to be there.
   Because you can send other stakeholders a summary of the meeting via Zoom Chat, you can limit the attendee list and keep the meeting streamlined. Review meeting invitations you receive to determine whether you actually need to attend. If not, request a recording of the meeting or a summary to get the info you need.
9. If you’re the host, stick around.
   The general rule for meeting hosts: Wait until everyone else has left the meeting before hanging up, so attendees can leave at their own pace and get any final words in before disconnecting. Zoom will assign an alternate host if the original host exits first, but it’s not a good look. A host leaving everyone else in the meeting is much like bailing on your own party. Source—Zoom.com