When the global workforce moved en masse to working from home, many organizations leaned heavily into virtual platforms with video call capabilities (Zoom, Webex, Microsoft Teams) to replace face-to-face meetings. While such meetings offered a chance to maintain social connection in a time of social distance, a few weeks into remote work, “Zoom fatigue” and “virtual meeting fatigue” entered our vernacular, capturing the feeling of fatigue and exhaustion that comes from being stuck in an endless cycle of virtual meetings. Researchers responded to this phenomenon by developing a Zoom exhaustion and fatigue scale. Others began studying aspects of virtual meetings that could contribute to virtual meeting fatigue (pro tip: muting your microphone when not speaking helps!).
Research: Cameras On or Off?
A study at one company found that requiring video during virtual meetings increased fatigue — especially for women and new employees.
October 26, 2021
HBR Staff; Tima Miroshnichenko/ Pexels;
Antti Heikkinen/ Getty Images
Summary.
Managers looking to encourage engagement and inclusion in remote meetings have long encouraged team members to keep their cameras turned on. But researchers examining remote employees’ reactions to the constant video conference calls of the remote work era have found that keeping video on all day actually increases so-called “zoom fatigue.” That’s particularly true for women and new employees, groups that already may feel that they are under the microscope.