CUBE LIFE! Office Etiquette

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Tue May 04, 2021 1:05 pm

What's the group consensus about having cameras on for Zoom meetings?

In the meetings that I run, I always have my camera on, but for one team, everyone else leaves theirs off. My other team? Almost every camera is on.

Trying to figure out why the dynamic is different.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Tue May 04, 2021 1:17 pm

It really depends. I try not to be the only one not on video, but after that it really depends on how active a participant I plan on being.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Tue May 04, 2021 1:32 pm

I prefer cameras on for everyone, personally. I think it just means you had to take some time to make yourself presentable, which I think you should be for work meetings. Just my opinion,man.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Tue May 04, 2021 1:37 pm

As someone who doesn't have a separate work space and is often sitting either in bed or in a dining room with 2-3 other people, I'm almost 100% cameras off.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Tue May 04, 2021 1:43 pm

A_B wrote: ↑Tue May 04, 2021 1:32 pm I prefer cameras on for everyone, personally. I think it just means you had to take some time to make yourself presentable, which I think you should be for work meetings. Just my opinion,man.

I'm lucky my hat head is a good look for me.

Post by **brian** » Tue May 04, 2021 1:54 pm

We're expected to have cameras on if we're meeting with customers. If it's internal, no one cares. Some people do, some don't

Post by **Sabo** » Tue May 04, 2021 1:56 pm

I used to keep my camera on all the time, but then I started eyerolling at my dumb boss's comments during meetings and decided to turn it off.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Tue May 04, 2021 1:59 pm

My team is always camera off. When scheduling calls with clients, I usually get their phone number rather than schedule a meeting through Teams, which is the preferred method in my company. An internal sales manager asked me to join his team's morning meeting to help them understand some of our services and help them formulate sales pitches around the benefits of these services. Call was at 8:00 am, and I didn't shower or get dressed before, assuming it was cameras off. I felt stupid being the guest speaker and the only one off camera. Now I prepare for on camera just in case. A couple women on my team wanted to do a cameras on meeting, so my manager sent several reminders so nobody was caught off guard or uncomfortable.

Also not sure about presenting webinars through Teams. We usually use GoToWebinar, which is no cameras, but I don't have an account to schedule through that site, so I use Teams. I start off on camera, as I want it to be an interactive class. Then I share my screen to show the presentation. I assume they can't see me or each other when I screen share, but I'm not 100% sure of that.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Tue May 04, 2021 4:12 pm

What's weird about Teams, and I might be mixing this up, but... If you share your screen and then I minimize Teams or move into another app, I'm pretty sure the speaker shows up and not the shared screen. I'd double check that, just in case.

=-=-=-=

There's no standing rule at our joint. I usually say hi on camera and then beg off using the "worried about my wifi/bandwidth" excuse. Which is actually not a fabrication, as we've got 4 adults working/going to school at any given moment during the day.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Tue May 04, 2021 4:35 pm

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Tue May 04, 2021 4:12 pm What's weird about Teams, and I might be mixing this up, but... If you share your screen and then I minimize Teams or move into another app, I'm pretty sure the speaker shows up and not the shared screen. I'd double check that, just in case.

=-=-=-=

There's no standing rule at our joint. I usually say hi on camera and then beg off using the "worried about my wifi/bandwidth" excuse. Which is actually not a fabrication, as we've got 4 adults working/going to school at any given moment during the day.

Just did a test run. If I leave Teams, which I will to control the PPT, I'm still on camera. Last minute panic as I realized I planned on using a PPT with embedded videos. They work! I'm sure it won't work for someone tomorrow...

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Tue May 04, 2021 11:18 pm

I was just being curious. We don't have a set rule about camera on/off, but I just feel like if I'm running the meeting, I should have mine on.

I got a new manager about 2 months ago, and he's yet to turn his camera on during our weekly one-on-one's. So I have a boss who I have no idea what he looks like.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Wed May 05, 2021 8:53 am

25 year anniversary at work tomorrow. Long time. Still haven't made it to middle management. I'm going to say I'm just too valuable to get promoted and my company is wisely avoiding the peter principle trap.

Post by **brian** » Wed May 05, 2021 8:56 am

A_B wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 8:53 am 25 year anniversary at work tomorrow. Long time. Still haven't made it to middle management. I'm going to say I'm just too valuable to get promoted and my company is wisely avoiding the peter principle trap.

Yesterday was my 25th anniversary of my college graduation. It passed mostly unmentioned because that's a long fucking time and I'm not sure how much I like thinking about it.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Wed May 05, 2021 9:00 am

It frustrates me to no end knowing what someone coming in from the outside would get paid to do my job relative to my salary after being here for 16 years.

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Wed May 05, 2021 10:06 am

I was threatened by my new boss when we started having weekly meetings regarding cameras staying on 100% of the time during meetings. You're also not to leave, look away from the camera, take a phone call, eat or drink, and a laundry list of other things.

Guy is an absolute psychopath.

Post by **Shirley** » Wed May 05, 2021 11:58 am

Yeah, I'm usually on camera in meetings, just because I think it personalizes things a bit. And I always do if I'm going to be presenting something.

But generally at my company, the camera on/off thing is very team dependent. Some groups always do and some almost never do. Although because my camera starts on, a lot of times other folks quickly turn theirs on. But there are always stragglers who never do.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Wed May 05, 2021 12:17 pm

mister d wrote: ↑Tue May 04, 2021 1:37 pm As someone who doesn't have a separate work space and is often sitting either in bed or in a dining room with 2-3 other people, I'm almost 100% cameras off.

I should add I also haven't had a haircut up top in 16 months. That would likely be jarring for people who knew me before.

MaxWebster · Post by **MaxWebster** » Wed May 05, 2021 12:47 pm

working for the fed here; we have daily Teams meetings and are actively discouraged from using the camera (i've never used it nor seen anyone use it once in a full year). Unnecessary bandwidth is the excusereason. 100% fine by me :)

MaxWebster · Post by **MaxWebster** » Wed May 05, 2021 12:48 pm

this is damn impressive. i think we're gonna need some proof.

mister d wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 12:17 pm I should add I also haven't had a haircut up top in 16 months. That would likely be jarring for people who knew me before.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Wed May 05, 2021 12:51 pm

Oh absolutely not. I think the only non-family who have seen it are neighbors who catch me without a hat on.

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Wed May 05, 2021 12:59 pm

My job was the reverse. Started a year ago and then was shocked when when everyone got their normal cuts.

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Wed May 05, 2021 1:00 pm

BSF21 wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 10:06 am I was threatened by my new boss when we started having weekly meetings regarding cameras staying on 100% of the time during meetings. You're also not to leave, look away from the camera, take a phone call, eat or drink, and a laundry list of other things.

Guy is an absolute psychopath.

That's insane.

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Wed May 05, 2021 1:07 pm

I'd wear a camelback

BSF21 · Post by **BSF21** » Wed May 05, 2021 1:12 pm

DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 1:00 pm
BSF21 wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 10:06 am I was threatened by my new boss when we started having weekly meetings regarding cameras staying on 100% of the time during meetings. You're also not to leave, look away from the camera, take a phone call, eat or drink, and a laundry list of other things.

Guy is an absolute psychopath.
That's insane.

What insane is that I'm not an employee I'm a contractor and I have other obligations to other companies.

This guy has failed upwards for a year now. I can't stand it but I've got no say and no alternative. It's constant gaslighting.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Wed May 05, 2021 1:27 pm

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Tue May 04, 2021 4:12 pm What's weird about Teams, and I might be mixing this up, but... If you share your screen and then I minimize Teams or move into another app, I'm pretty sure the speaker shows up and not the shared screen. I'd double check that, just in case.

Just figured out what my brain was trying to conjure yesterday. When you minimize the app on your screen, it just shows the persons placeholder avatar, not the presentation and not the camera.

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Wed May 05, 2021 1:33 pm

I realllllly like that Zoom can be limited to only sharing the window of a specific application.

phxgators · Post by **phxgators** » Wed May 05, 2021 2:31 pm

We specifically don't have built in web cams on our laptops for security reasons, so video is unusual. I was given a separate web cam, since I'm a manager. I've used it exactly once. I work in a group of ~25 and because I started during covid I only know what 6 or 7 look like.

My last place required web cams be on, since they didn't trust that we were actually working. Other evidence be damned.

Post by **Shirley** » Wed May 05, 2021 9:16 pm

P.D.X. wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 1:33 pm I realllllly like that Zoom can be limited to only sharing the window of a specific application.

What modern video conferencing software doesn't have this feature?

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Wed May 05, 2021 9:45 pm

Shirley wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 9:16 pm
P.D.X. wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 1:33 pm I realllllly like that Zoom can be limited to only sharing the window of a specific application.
What modern video conferencing software doesn't have this feature?

I think most do as you suggest but I also think zoom handles it better when picking. But I admittedly haven’t used as much teams or webex

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Wed May 05, 2021 10:30 pm

Shirley wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 9:16 pm
P.D.X. wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 1:33 pm I realllllly like that Zoom can be limited to only sharing the window of a specific application.
What modern video conferencing software doesn't have this feature?

I can still like it!

Post by **brian** » Thu May 06, 2021 7:58 am

Shirley wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 9:16 pm
P.D.X. wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 1:33 pm I realllllly like that Zoom can be limited to only sharing the window of a specific application.
What modern video conferencing software doesn't have this feature?

MS Teams, for one (as far as I'm aware).

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Thu May 06, 2021 8:17 am

Like a window versus your entire desktop? Teams def does that.

Post by **brian** » Thu May 06, 2021 8:18 am

mister d wrote: ↑Thu May 06, 2021 8:17 am Like a window versus your entire desktop? Teams def does that.

I haven't played around with it as much as I should have because I have 16 days of work left, though that's good to know.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Thu May 13, 2021 11:45 am

I just realized a Zoom meeting I was invited to started about 45 minutes ago.

I doubt I am being missed if anyone even realizes I am not there (about 50 attendees).

MaxWebster · Post by **MaxWebster** » Thu May 13, 2021 12:15 pm

do they take attendance?

just thinking of my last job when i signed in as "Uriah Heep" and when the CEO decided to randomly call on people, she of course called me. "what do you think, Uriah? ...Uriah are you there?"

might as well have fun with it. maybe.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Thu May 13, 2021 12:24 pm

MaxWebster wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 12:15 pm do they take attendance?

just thinking of my last job when i signed in as "Uriah Heep" and when the CEO decided to randomly call on people, she of course called me. "what do you think, Uriah? ...Uriah are you there?"

might as well have fun with it. maybe.

Nope. And I've been through this kind of meeting many times over, both virtually and in person, and I never have to speak.

Frankly, missing it has been a better use of my time.

EnochRoot · Post by **EnochRoot** » Thu May 13, 2021 12:48 pm

MaxWebster wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 12:15 pm do they take attendance?

just thinking of my last job when i signed in as "Uriah Heep" and when the CEO decided to randomly call on people, she of course called me. "what do you think, Uriah? ...Uriah are you there?"

might as well have fun with it. maybe.

…Huh? What? Sorry, I was stealin’ when I should’ve been buying.

(or I was busy doing the rancher’s daughter)

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Thu May 13, 2021 2:15 pm

God I hate meaningless meetings and I've gotten to the point where I skip most of them unless I"m somehow bored. Too many meetings really overshadow how invigorating really good and productive meetings can be. It's just hard for that to happen when everyone is sick of being in meetings that shouldn't be meetings in the first place or need to severely downsize the attendee list.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Thu May 13, 2021 6:47 pm

EnochRoot wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 12:48 pm
MaxWebster wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 12:15 pm do they take attendance?

just thinking of my last job when i signed in as "Uriah Heep" and when the CEO decided to randomly call on people, she of course called me. "what do you think, Uriah? ...Uriah are you there?"

might as well have fun with it. maybe.
…Huh? What? Sorry, I was stealin’ when I should’ve been buying.

(or I was busy doing the rancher’s daughter)

I love that song. (Also, Easy Livin')

EnochRoot · Post by **EnochRoot** » Thu May 13, 2021 7:17 pm

sancarlos wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 6:47 pm
EnochRoot wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 12:48 pm
MaxWebster wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 12:15 pm do they take attendance?

just thinking of my last job when i signed in as "Uriah Heep" and when the CEO decided to randomly call on people, she of course called me. "what do you think, Uriah? ...Uriah are you there?"

might as well have fun with it. maybe.
…Huh? What? Sorry, I was stealin’ when I should’ve been buying.

(or I was busy doing the rancher’s daughter)
I love that song. (Also, Easy Livin')

We used to shout-sing Stealin' whenever we'd pile into a car and head out to parties back in high school.