Videoconferencing: these 5 hassles that turn video calls into an ordeal

© Zoom

In the early 2020s, particularly due to the pandemic, video calls became a habit for many employees. Some therefore spent hours on video conferences during long meetings. These moments, which we were not necessarily used to, have surprising consequences on our mental health. The Preply platform has conducted a very interesting survey on this subject.

5 unfortunate consequences of video calls

To do this, experts questioned 1,360 Americans on how they interact during their video calls at work. This survey made it possible to identify the 5 things that tire employees the most during these video conferences. Here is the list in its entirety:

1. Anxiety related to feeling watched by many faces: 48%
2. Mirror anxiety when seeing one's own reflection: 46%
3. Fatigue due to monitoring the nonverbal communication cues of others: 36%
4. Fatigue related to producing nonverbal cues: 27%
5. Feeling of being physically trapped: 26%

It is completely normal to experience some of these symptoms. Sylvia Johnson, Preply’s language expert, has some valuable advice for employees:

The golden rule for virtual meetings is to act as if you were in an in-person meeting! Body language is as important for virtual meetings as it is for in-person meetings. In fact, body language is as essential a part of nonverbal communication as tone of voice. This is true in the virtual space. Once you turn on your camera, your face will be the first thing other participants see, so be mindful of your facial expressions and gestures.

“Zoom fatigue” is very real

She adds: “Try to maintain eye contact just below the camera. Or, nod and smile to show that you're listening. This helps recreate the physical signals you receive in face-to-face meetings.”.

This is not the first time that we have spoken to you about the negative consequences of what is now commonly called “Zoom fatigue”. A study by the prestigious Stanford University has also looked into the subject, as we mentioned in a previous article here.

Have you ever felt these different signs of discomfort during your video calls ? Can you give the community some advice on how to feel better during these meetings ? Tell us in the comments.

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