A telecommunications commentator says people should switch on their backgrounds during Zoom, Teams or Google work meetings, but only when comfortable.
Privacy can be an issue during work meetings at home. Photo: 123RF
Online meetings are now a daily routine for many people working from home during lockdown, with some opting to hide their appearance, or blur their backgrounds.
Paul Brislen says not doing so means work colleagues don't know if others are paying attention, and that it's good to let people know where they are and how they are presenting.
That properly means wearing appropriate clothes and keeping your house tidy, or at least that part of your home being seen on camera.
"If you're in a Zoom call or a Teams call or whatever version of video conferencing you're using, turn your cameras on - let's see what people's backgrounds look like," he told Morning Report.
"Put your background up and make sure everybody can see what's going on because it's also quite nice for meetings. I've been to meetings where everybody's got there cameras off. You don't know if people are paying attention or wandering around."
He said it was a fun opportunity to show a bit of your personal self to your colleagues, something he had carefully manufactured.
"I have a very carefully curated background. I've got a home office and I've brought in a little book case and a carefully selected collection of books to make me look intelligent. I've got some art from the kids, a small Lego Tardis so I can relate to the young people - all carefully chosen so that I look better than what I am," he said.
However, Brislen said he understood people had privacy concerns about allowing colleagues to see the insides of their homes and that personal boundaries should always be a factor when setting up a meeting.
"I do feel for everyone who is forced into a situation where working from home involves sitting at the kitchen table, as a colleague of mine did with three other flat mates on Zoom calls all at the same time huddled round a little student flat," he said.
"It's not easy. Curtains are always quite good if you can position yourself, so that you have a little bit of neutrality. But I do think in order for meetings to have any value at all means having your camera on - but within your guidelines, what you're comfortable with - that's really important."
For those who want to hide their backgrounds, there are a multitude of 'wallpaper' options to download and use. It can be subtle, sublime or totally ridiculous.
"You can download places where you'd like to be, or I've seen some corporates putting up corporate branding for staff to use in their team meeting. Or you can take your own photos," he said.
"I've seen team meetings where everyone is required to wear a hat and have the most outrageous background possible, just for a bit of fun and keep everyone on their toes."
