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 drawbacks is that the extensive use of video conferencing is perceived as exhausting, especially by women. This phenomenon, which Stanford researchers explored, made headlines under the term “Zoom fatigue.” The reason for this is that women tend to focus more on themselves. This means that they pay more attention than men to how they come across in meetings. As reported by Deutschlandfunk, this fixation on the camera often leads to fewer creative ideas during video conferences. Another drawback cited by Internet World is the inefficiency of video conferences, which can easily arise when too many participants are simply added to the call.

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 position it properly! The cameras built into laptops aren’t always ideal. Research from the University of Gothenburg and Stanford University has shown that people are perceived as more likable, sociable, and engaged by their conversation partners when they look directly into the camera during a video conference and the camera is positioned 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

‍Evenif you don’t have a dedicated room for video conferences, pay attention to your background and choose it carefully! It doesn’t have to be a bookshelf, but the kitchen—where dishes and groceries might be piled up—isn’t appropriate either. Avoid virtual backgrounds and, if necessary, settle for a light blur filter! If you have a pet, feel free to include it in the frame during the occasional meeting. After all, animal guests can provide a pleasant change of pace and are even a useful business strategy that resonates with people. However, it’s important not to overdo it. That means the cat should be well-fed so it doesn’t meow, and the dog should have been walked so it isn’t barking loudly to go out 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

‍Ifyou have the option to choose a tool, go with Google Meet and Google Workspace. Their deep integration makes it easy to schedule meetings in your calendar and share documents with ease. With a wide range of features, you can handle all tasks intuitively. These include recording a meeting, incorporating polls and whiteboards, or switching the audio feed to your phone if the connection is poor or you need to continue the meeting while on the go. If you’d like, you can even enable captions in different languages and have the spoken content transcribed. Last but not least, Google Meet lets you host secure video conferences. That’s because it uses the same measures Google employs to protect information and privacy, including encrypted transmission. But why not try it out for yourself?

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References: 

Research and Teaching

Deutschlandfunk: The Impact of Video Conferencing

Stanford University

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