Body Language in video calls.....still burning us.

In February 2024, a survey was published about video calls and the impact that they have on people-

DATABASE:

·       1,360 Americans were asked about how they interact on work video calls.

·       Respondents ranged in age from 18 to 76 years old. 

·       Were 49% female, 50% male, and 1% nonbinary.

Principal findings from this survey

·  On average, Americans spend 5.5 hours per week on video calls

·  49% say video calls are more fatiguing than in-person meetings

·  31% say they don’t wave or say goodbye verbally. 

·  75% have tried to speak on a work video call, been interrupted by a coworker starting to speak, and abandoned what they were going to say.

Did you learn anything during the pandemic???

For 2 years, our team was teaching people how to manage video calls, how to use the tone of voice, how to use their body and most importantly, how to protect themselves from video burn out-

 Did you take our class???

 It looks like some of you missed it!!!

Video calls are here to stay.

We are a 100% virtual company. Some of us have been working together for 10 years online but have never met in person.

We coach and have been coached online, teach and learn online, and even have therapy online.

How is the US doing today?

Joining a business call virtually from your employer's office or home in Pjs may be a productive approach to communicating and maintaining relationships. American workers now use video chats so often that they spend an average of 5.5 hours a week doing so.

First, a significant gender gap was seen in the 48% of the survey respondents who said they grin more on camera than they would normally off camera—57% of women said they do so compared to 39% of males. Junior employees also tended to grin more often—59% compared to 44% of older employees.

Whether sitting or standing, 71% said they work hard to maintain proper posture during video chats, showing self-consciousness and professionalism.

Video calls let you express yourself differently than in person. In a packed conference with many square faces, nonverbal cues might be lost or misconstrued. To clarify, 27% employ exaggerated gestures in video conversations compared to in-person conversations. Besides gestures, 33% utilize emojis, and 45% raise their hands to talk during video calls.

Depending on the purpose of the video conference, it might be casual or professional. Nearly 33% of video callers feel comfortable getting up and leaving the frame, unlike in-person meetings. Some may not notice their absent team member, as 27% concentrate on their personal appearance during the virtual meeting, with 34% of women and 19% of males doing so.

Is uncomfortable

Work video calls have admirers and detractors. For 49% of Americans, video calls are more tiring than in-person meetings.

Some Americans dislike video calls because 39% find cooperation strange. This emotion is understandable because you don't have to push the unmute button to express yourself in real life. Not knowing how to read micro-expressions and body language can be fatal in a meeting on video or in-person.

Maintaining a professional look during the conference might be stressful, particularly if you're worried about your appearance and setting. Workplace video calls have scared 32% of respondents. Knowing you disrupted the conference due to a bad internet connection or loud dogs might make you upset and anxious about what others think. 

Am I weird?

Hyper-gaze anxiety—a feeling observed by numerous faces—is the leading cause of video call anxiety and weariness. Not only does having others see you cause anxiety, but 46% believe seeing their self-image does too. Video calls may seem like seeing in a mirror, magnifying every emotion, expression, and flaw, which can be unpleasant.

75% have been interrupted by a colleague on a work video call and given up.

Interruptions aren't the only sentence-killers. Technology sometimes changes your mind about contributing to the discourse. Over half (55%), have attempted to talk on a business video call but discovered they were on mute and stopped.

Key findings

·       Feeling watched by many faces has caused 48% to experience hyper-gaze anxiety.

·       Seeing themselves on video has made 46% experience mirror anxiety.

·       During video calls, 71% exert energy to maintain good posture.

·       Video calls cause 49% of respondents to feel more fatigue than in-person meetings.

·       While on camera, 48% smile more than they would naturally off camera.

Summary:

 During the pandemic, the #1 waiting list was for cosmetic surgery or procedures, including botox, nose and facelift. It looks like the feeling to “over” stare at your own image was and is damaging relationships and not building them. The fact that people can leave a meeting and 3 out of every 10 people don’t notice it due to over gazing, is freaky. Did they learn/ understand anything during that meeting.?

They are 3-keys to human interaction, and this is a 2-way road.

·   Been understood

·   Been Seen

·   Been Heard

How are you doing on this? 

If you or your team need help, let’s set a call to see how we can fix this and maybe any other behavior problems.

See you

 Susan@susanibitz.com