Virtual Etiquette: Don’t sabotage your career in virtual meetings!

Compliance officers tend to have more options to work partially or fully remotely than many other professions. Our work is typically computer-based. Our teams are often in many different time zones, meaning that being in the office does not create the camaraderie or opportunities for collaboration that local teams enjoy.

We are knowledge workers, as opposed to those who use their hands to physically build things. We are often more senior in the organization, which typically comes with more flexibility.

Lastly, many of us are on the road performing training or investigations, so people do not expect us to be in the office. In short, if we want to stay home, we probably can.

Virtual Etiquette

In the past few years, a wealth of research has emerged on being successful in a remote environment. While remote work can improve job satisfaction,[i] it can damage your ability to build relationships and expand your influence in the organization.

There are strategies that can make you more visible and valuable.

I’m fixated on how I show up on camera, and I also care how my team shows up. I have a video that new hires lovingly describe as “How not to make Kristy crazy.” I admit it. I expect my team to follow the rules below. Not because I’m a bit of a control freak (OK, sometimes), but because following these rules creates the best experience for everyone in the meeting.

How you show up remotely can make a massive difference in your effectiveness with the business.

Let’s dive in.

Turn On Your (Freaking) Camera

The number one thing you can do to bolster your image in the company during remote meetings is to turn on your camera. For better or worse, we have all become extremely adept at reading facial expressions and body language online. When someone has their camera off, we lose a huge amount of information and communication suffers.

A recent survey of 500 executives found that 92% do not see a long-term future for employees who turn their cameras off, and 93% perceived off-camera employees to be less engaged in their work.[ii]

And they are correct. Researchers have found that departing employees disabled their cameras nearly twice as often as those remaining employed. An even larger percentage never unmuted their microphones. In short, once they failed to show up on screen, they ultimately failed to show up at work.[iii]

But what if you plan to stay? Turn on that camera. A survey by recruiting company Korn Ferry found that 76% of respondents said they believe those who leave their cameras off are looked upon negatively, and 60% said choosing not to be on camera during meetings was a “career minimizing move.”[iv]

Yes – camera fatigue is real. Many studies show that being on camera can be draining and stressful. But that’s a small price to pay to be seen as Wildly Effective. So, turn on your freaking camera. Always.

Watch Your Hands

People have all sorts of unconscious habits, and unfortunately, many can be seen onscreen. Pay attention to anything that can be seen on camera.

I interviewed an applicant for Spark Compliance who clicked a pen on and off throughout the interview. Within five minutes, I’d decided not to hire this individual. I knew that behavior would distract clients from what this person was saying.

I have also seen people who regularly twirl their hair. This behavior can make the person seem less serious or experienced, which can affect credibility.

Research shows that neurodiversity can affect someone’s ability to keep their hands still. If this is you, or if you are just bored, use a stress ball or rubber band to keep your hands busy. And remember to keep them off camera.

I have also seen people habitually slump in their chairs and rest their head on their hands. It makes the individual look sad and unengaged – or worse – bored and uninterested in the meeting.

Be conscious of your behavior on camera. You want people to listen to your words, not be distracted by your body language.

You’re On Mute

When you are not speaking, stay on mute. The background noise can be very distracting for others. And for heaven’s sake – if you need to type, make doubly sure you’re on mute. The clicking can sidetrack a meeting fast.

Dress the Part

Show up dressed for work. At least dress the part of you that can be seen on camera. When you do not dress like a businessperson, it shows disrespect for those who chose to show up and be professional. People who do not show up dressed for work will never be seen as Wildly Effective.

Stop the Multi-tasking

I get it. I’ve been in a million boring, awful, soul-sucking meetings. I don’t want to be there. But multi-tasking is not the answer.

People think they are good at multi-tasking but they’re not. Science has shown that multi-tasking does not exist. When people try to multi-task, they are task-switching, meaning their mind is quickly jumping from one thing to another.

It doesn’t work well. According to researcher Anne Roberts, “this constant switching takes a toll on cognitive load, the total amount of mental effort used in the working memory. Each shift requires the brain to reorient and refocus, consuming significant cognitive resources. This reduces the quality of work and increases the time required to complete tasks.”[v]

Have you ever been called on in a meeting while you were emailing and you didn’t know how to respond because you weren’t listening closely? I have. And that one time was enough to change my behavior.

If you are in a bad meeting, choose to be present emotionally and physically. It can be difficult, but it is better than taxing your brain and creating substandard work product.

Your prospects for success may be shining bright.  Don’t undercut all your work by a few bad moves on your computer camera. 

[i] Flowlu, Remote Work Statistics 2020–2026, available at https://www.flowlu.com/blog/productivity/remote-work-statistics/

[ii] Kylie Ora Lobell, Should Employees Be Required to Turn On Cameras During Virtual Meetings?, SHRM, available at https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/employee-relations/employees-required-to-turn-cameras-virtual-meetings

[iii] Ann Kowal Smith, 3 Ways To Make Your Virtual Meetings Better, Forbes, available at https://www.forbes.com/sites/annkowalsmith/2024/07/18/ways-to-make-your-virtual-meetings-better/

[iv] Cameras On or Off? Professionals Weigh in On Video Usage During Virtual Meetings in Korn Ferry Survey, available at https://www.kornferry.com/about-us/press/cameras-on-or-off

[v] Anne Roberts, Task Shifting vs. Multitasking: Debunking Myths and Understanding Cognitive Load, Taproot available at https://taproot.com/mulitasking/