Eight tips and tricks for your video conference

Video conferencing has been part of everyday office life for many people since the pandemic at the latest. This is because the new ways of working created by the crisis have not disappeared with the end of the home office obligation, but have been retained in part, as the research institute Sotomo has shown in the context of the study series Monitor "Data Society and Solidarity". found out. Nevertheless, the potential of the tools that enable online video conferencing is not yet being exploited.

Time and again there is uncertainty in the operation of video conferencing software. Employees cannot hear anything or are not heard, unintentional background noise disturbs the conference or the transmission falters. Sometimes there are already problems during dial-in because a participant cannot find the link received by e-mail and the meeting is not entered in the calendar. This is often due to a lack of knowledge about the basic functioning of a video conference.

How does a video conference work?

A videoconference is more than just a virtual meeting in which participants can exchange views and sounds. It is a multi-layered tool for digital collaboration that can be deeply integrated into various processes in companies.

To set up a planned conference, the desired participants usually receive an invitation by e-mail. If they accept, the organiser is not only notified of the acceptance, but the date can also be automatically entered into the online calendar. If the user then clicks on it, he or she can participate directly in the meeting without having to search for the participation link.

Another example is the integration of document-based processes. For example, if several users are working on a document at the same time, they can spontaneously start a video conference at the click of a mouse to exchange information. Other documents can also be shared easily.

Video conferencing: advantages and disadvantages

These possibilities bring many advantages when teams work together. Especially during the pandemic, team members could easily collaborate from different locations. This enabled many companies to maintain their operations even though they had to more or less close their offices. But even after the pandemic, these advantages remain. After all, video conferences replace many a business trip. They thus save time as well as costs and reduce the CO₂ footprint of companies.

One of the main disadvantages is that the extended use of video conferencing is perceived as exhausting, especially by women. The phenomenon that Stanford scientists explored hit the headlines under the term Zoom Fatigue. The reason for this is that women are more self-focused. This means that they pay more attention than men to how they appear in meetings. Due to the camera fixation, less creative ideas often emerge in video conferences, as reported by Deutschlandfunk. Another disadvantage complained about is the inefficiency of video conferences, which can easily come about if too many participants are simply added, according to Internet World.

Tips for efficient videoconferencing

In order to avoid the disadvantages and benefit from the advantages in the best possible way, it is helpful to use them according to the possibilities. Different levels have to be taken into account. We recommend:

1. good internet connection

Ensure a good, stable internet connection! The best tools are of no use if the participants are in a wireless hole or the too-small internet line is overloaded.

2. well thought out planning

Think about who should participate in the video conference and set up an agenda! The more participants you invite, the more stringently the structure should be adhered to, so that requests to speak do not get out of hand and a result is achieved in a reasonable amount of time.

3. headset for video conference

Invest in a good microphone and speakers or a high-quality headset! Anyone who works with colleagues in an office quickly learns to appreciate the advantages of headphones with active noise cancellation (ANC). This is because they block out unwanted background noise. To ensure that this works well and that they are still comfortable to wear after the third or fourth meeting, you should make sure that they fit well.

4. webcam for video conference

Make sureyou have a good camera and its position! The devices built into notebooks are not always optimal. Research by the University of Gothenburg and Stanford University has shown that people are perceived by their conversation partners as more sympathetic, sociable and present if they look directly into the camera during the video conference and it is mounted at eye level.

5th Logitech Video Conference

Even better are professional systems for video conferencing, such as those offered by Logitech. Because then you don't have to think about the hardware. Set up your room for online meetings that is always ready for use!

6. design the background

Even if you don't have a dedicated space for video conferencing, pay attention to the background and design it deliberately! It doesn't have to be the wall of books, but the kitchen where dishes and food may be piled up is not appropriate either. Refrain from using virtual backgrounds and be content with a light soft character filter if necessary! If you have a pet, you are welcome to include it in the picture at one or two meetings. After all, animal guests can provide a pleasant change of pace and are even a useful business model that meets with a positive response. However, it is important not to overdo it. This means that the cat should be full so that it doesn't meow and the dog should be exercised so that it doesn't bark loudly as it goes for a walk.

7. observe etiquette

Even if it is "only" a video transmission: As in a face-to-face meeting, pay attention to punctuality, appropriate clothing, a well-groomed appearance and your posture! The coffee cup can be given a break in a half-hour meeting and if you don't eat for an hour, you won't starve. The mobile phone/telephone should be switched to silent. This is how you show respect to your counterpart!

8th Google Video Conference

If you can actively choose a tool, choose Google Meet and Google Workspace! The deep integration ensures that you can easily plan meetings in the calendar and share documents with ease. With numerous functions, all tasks can be managed intuitively. These include recording a meeting, integrating polls and whiteboards, or switching audio to the phone when the connection is poor or the meeting needs to continue on the go. If you want, you can even activate subtitles in different languages and have what is said transcribed. Last but not least, you can create a secure video conference with Google Meet. Because the same measures are used with which Google protects information and privacy, including encrypted transmission. But just test it yourself!