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We Live At Work Now. Get Your Audio And Video Right

Greg Ferro

This post originally appeared in the July 23rd 2020 issue of Human Infrastructure, a free newsletter from the Packet Pushers. If you’d like to get a weekly dose of commentary, links to tech blogs, and a few amusements, sign up here.


COVID19 means that many people are now Working From Home (WFH) and grappling with this new experience. WFH takes some getting used to, but it’s often better than having to wear fancy outfits and fighting traffic just to sit in an “open office plan” that’s noisy and full of interruptions.

(Though in a pandemic with family and partners all home at the same time, your WFH environment may also be noisy and full of interruptions.)

In any case, many of us are now living at work. And living at work means you have a new responsibility to your coworkers and clients: how you sound, how you look, and the visual appeal of your workspace is now your problem. You may feel that this isn’t your responsibility, but your home is now your office.

With video conferencing as the common medium of communication, you’re going to be judged on how you look and sound, and how your workspace looks. It may not be fair, but how you present yourself will be taken as a measure of your professionalism.

Greg’s Tips for Living At Work

Let’s start with the basics.

  1. Buy an excellent chair. It’s the one thing that really matters. Cheap out on the desk if necessary.
  2. Get an expensive office chair for less money by buying second-hand from an office disposal company. There are lots of chairs available right now.
  3. If you can’t have a dedicated office in your house, think about room dividers. Fabric-covered movable partitions can hide the playroom, bedroom, or basement boiler and provide a suitably neutral background for your Zoom calls.

Audio and Microphone

  1. DO NOT use your computer microphone on calls–it sounds terrible. Buy a wired lavaliere microphone for $10 online. Better yet, get a USB headset with a microphone boom. You can’t go wrong with these; they always work and are a minimum of hassle.
  2. If you spend much of your day talking to clients or customers, consider investing in a professional microphone, such as Rode NT USB desk-mount microphone (you’ll also need a boom). While pricier than a headset, your clients will appreciate the crystal-clear audio, and it’s much cheaper than getting on a plane.
  3. Do not use your AirPods or any Bluetooth microphone. They sound bad. Really. They’re fine for talking to family or ordering a pizza. Anything professional – definitely not.
  4. Check the room sound. Some rooms reflect audio and make it sound like a public toilet or a sports hall. Use the conference app to play back your audio and confirm the quality.
  5. Don’t just say “That will do.” It won’t. You didn’t turn up to the office in surf shorts and flip flops, did you? No. A microphone is how you ‘look’. Stop arguing with me.

Conferencing Apps

  1. Know the application. Whether it’s Zoom, GoToMeeting, Google Meeting, etc., take some time to familiarize yourself with the interface.
  2. Find and use the mute button. Most apps have a keyboard shortcut. When in doubt, mute yourself.
  3. Upgrade your broadband/Internet connection. You are saving money WFH so make that small commitment.
  4. Use a microphone. The most important part of a video call is audio quality. See the previous section.
  5. Check that your microphone is selected in the video conferencing app. You can usually find an “Audio” option in Settings. Use the conference app to play back your audio and confirm the quality.

Video

  1. Stand up. Your neck and shoulders don’t hunch when you stand and you look more confident.
  2. Face TOWARDS the window. The light on your face improves the images (instead of overexposing the camera).
  3. Look at the camera when speaking. You can’t see your audience but they can see you.
  4. Get a quality USB Web conferencing camera. It costs less than the taxi to/from the airport.
  5. Put a light in front of your face. Light above you casts a shadow on your face. Any light will do. Don’t put the light behind you because it will affect the camera.
  6. Check your background. People will judge you by what they see. Books, pictures, boxing gloves, plants, or a plain white background say something about you–make sure it’s what you want to say. Some extra thoughts:
    1. Presenting from the roof of your condo in a major city is bragging about how much money you have.
    2. Presenting from your designer living room is bragging about how much money you have.
    3. Presenting from a corridor is a sign that you have something to hide.
    4. A bedroom is totally the wrong signal because the bedroom is an intensely personal space. If you can, have your video meetings somewhere else.
  7. Get someone else to check your background and how it looks. Maybe consider using a green screen.

When you go to a physical conference, most of the things listed above (lighting, microphones, audio, backgrounds, etc.) are handled by the venue. You probably didn’t notice because it was all there.

Appearance

I like to have a few different shirts on hand in my home office: collared with tie, collared casual, and weekend wear.

People are discovering that pants with elasticated waists and a nice shirt or blouse are more than enough for a Zoom meeting. Think business up top and party downstairs.

Also, make a point of shaving and brushing your hair. You don’t have to brush your teeth or shower – that’s your own personal hygiene choice now.

The EtherealMind View

You are now responsible for living at work. Your employer probably hasn’t even worked this out yet. If you want to be professional, you need to look professional for whatever version of “looking” is right for you.

Your control of a meeting or contributions are now determined by how well people can hear and see you. It’s up to you to make changes to your professional image.

About Greg Ferro: Human Infrastructure for Data Networks. 25 year survivor of corporate IT in many verticals and many tens of employers working on a wide range of networking solutions and products. Co-founder of Packet Pushers.