It has been well over a year since the COVID-19 global pandemic began and video calls became the go-to way to stay in safe contact with family, friends, as well as co-workers. Along the way, however, many people found themselves growing tired of talking to someone through a screen.
In a November 2020 study conducted by global staffing firm Robert Half, 38% of those polled said they had experienced video call fatigue since the beginning of the pandemic. At this time, some respondents explained that the novelty of virtual meetings wore off, while technical issues caused others added frustration.
However, Banty.com Co-Founder and CEO, Scott Wilson, believes video calls are still an amazingly safe, easy, and enjoyable way to communicate better with those in our lives.
As such, Scott has come up with some tips on how to keep people from feeling fatigued on these calls:
Space out appointments: If you are responsible for scheduling and hosting virtual meetings with your team, spread them out as best as you can. Having a reasonable gap between video calls lets people have an eyeball break, as well as sufficient time to collect their thoughts and prepare for the next appointment
Limit the number of daily meetings: As productive as video calls can be, having too many of them on a given day makes it harder for people to complete the rest of their tasks. Where possible, spread meetings out over the course of a week, as opposed to shoehorning five into one day
Keep all meetings concise: There are circumstances when virtual meetings need to run long. That said, always do your best to come into a meeting with a structured agenda and a sensible time limit that's known to all involved. This will keep your meeting on-track and those participating engaged throughout
Know your technology: It is always important to have a strong understanding of any online meeting platform you are working with. If you do not know how to use its features, or consistently have a poor Internet connection during calls, this will make meetings exhausting for everyone – including yourself
Book more personal video calls: While virtual conferencing is great for business, we sometimes need to be reminded that video calls can be for casual, lighthearted personal gatherings as well. Including these in your routine will allow you to use this awe-inspiring technology without continuously having to keep your guard up
"Video call fatigue is real, but it does not have to be," adds Scott. "Those who regularly host virtual meetings can take steps to ensure invitees are not being overwhelmed by them. We all know that exhaustion of any sort in the workplace can have a negative impact on productivity and team morale. Scheduling video calls smartly and conducting them in an organized fashion will keep business moving forward, and individuals from dreading that next meeting invite."
Thanks to Seeking Alpha for this coverage of Banty!
