Do you sometimes feel self-conscious about your home office when taking a Zoom or Teams call? This is a common problem that people experience when working remotely and it could even be impacting these meetings and how you are perceived by those that you are communicating with.
So, what can you do to create a more professional setup? Here are a few ideas that should help.
First, you should always work from the same room. Not only is this important for consistency, but it will also give you a dedicated space for working that will make it easier to separate work from home.
You should also think about the background that you have when taking these calls. Generally, less is more and it is best to have either a plain background or something that is not too distracting. If you use the room to store homely items, make sure that you make use of fitted storage solutions that will allow you to keep everything neat, tidy and out of sight.
Have you ever been on a call and found it hard to see someone’s face? This can make it hard to properly engage with someone and can also be distracting. Therefore, you need to consider lighting and make sure that you are facing a light source whether this is a light or a window.
Of course, one of the benefits of working from home is that you can wear what you want. If you are taking a virtual call, however, it is a good idea to dress smartly, especially if you are meeting with a client. You do not have to wear a full suit and tie, but a shirt or smart top will make a big difference to how you are perceived.
You should also sit up straight when on a call and always sit in a proper chair whether this is an office chair, stool or dining chair. Sitting on a sofa or armchair is unprofessional and sends the wrong message.
A virtual background might be fun and a way to hide your home, but it is also distracting and unprofessional. Any background is better than a virtual one, but you should try to create a simple and clutter-free background if possible.
If you feel self-conscious when taking video calls and feel that you are perhaps not as professional as you should be then the advice in this post should be useful. Many people find themselves working from home these days and this can bring many perks, but you need to think about how you are presenting yourself when video conferencing.
