The Covid-19 outbreak has transformed and restructured our professional world. When social distancing is the new norm, we have moved to digital mechanisms for even those set of activities which we preferred in-person such as the candidate interviews, client meetings, team meetings, reviews meetings etc. Video calls have turned out to be savior in these times to maintain business continuity to the maximum. The ultimate goal to stay connected to a larger extent has been achieved through video calls.
For the new norm, we should be aware of its must to do list that is required for video calls. We all want that are calls must be seamless and proper so that we gain the maximum output of the call. Here is the list of “10 Must to Do Things” for video calls.
- Ensure Proper Internet Connectivity
The rule of video calls is to ensure proper internet connectivity. If your internet is of not proper bandwidth, you will face difficulty in continuing with the call. You may drop-out of call if your internet is weak. To ensure that you continue to have a strong internet connection during the call make sure:
- All the irrelevant tabs, documents and folders should be closed
- Close all other devices which are running on internet
- Take Call in Proper Lighting
Proper Lighting is the very first rule to have a video call. People prefer to have a private and comfortable section of their house to conduct video calls such as the dining table, bed, sofa or even the floor. With a private section, we should focus on having a space that has natural light to brighten your face. To have a proper lightening avoid the below options:
- Avoid sitting just in front of a window
- Avoid overhead lights because it may create shadows under your eyes
- Avoid glare of the sun on your screen or in your face
- Avoid hitting all light falling on your back
- Maintain the Right Camera Angel
Camera angel ins the next most important thing which you should focus on. A camera angel should be such which captures your entire face and is aligned with your eyes. On your laptop the camera angel should be aligned with your eyes and while talking prefer looking on the camera than on the screen. Also, before every call clean the camera lens as it may have dirt.
- Choose the Right Background
Having the right background makes video calls more attractive and clean. Background showing untidy surroundings of your home or stains on the wall can make other video attendees uncomfortable. For backgrounds prefer a white wall or any other light colored wall and for users convenience many video conferencing tools provide virtual background options. You may choose backgrounds of simple designs and colour.
- Be Dressed and Presentable
For video calls ensure that your dressed properly and are looking presentable. Prefer wearing shirts or t-shirts of solid colors so that your face looks brightened than dull. Avoid wearing clothes with distractive prints or stripes that create an image of confusion to other attendees.
- Avoid Distractions
As we all are working from home, we will definitely have certain levels of distractions such as kids, dogs, phone ringing etc. while you are on call. To avoid distractions we must keep away unnecessary gadgets, keep our phones on silent if possible take the calls from a separate room.
- Maintaining the Right Posture
Another very important thing we should maintain in our video calls is the posture. Right posture reflects your confidence, honesty and seriousness. The best posture for video calls is to have back straight and shoulders broad. This posture position can be comfortably achieved while sitting on a dining chair and your laptop placed on the dining table. This position aligns your eye contact with the camera and chances of looking distracted is also very minimal.
- When Audio Matters
In video calls, having a proper audio is important. Connecting video calls through headphone maximizes your voice reachability to other attendees and minimizes the surrounding noise. When you are not speaking turn your microphone off so that your nearby sounds are not heard by others
- Being on Time
‘Being on Time’ or joining video calls 2-3 minutes prior helps in reducing your chances of facing technical glitches. It also shows your seriousness towards the call and you are part of the call from the very first minute.
- Testing Before the Call
Before joining the video call, it is mandatory to test your video and audio quality. When you join the call 2-3 minutes prior you can test both these aspects of your call. You can before hand check your audio whether it as clear as required, the background is neat and clean and you are clearly visible on the call.
These small measures helps in having a clean and clear video calls as having video calls is the only option available to conduct important business meeting and team building exercises. Thus, through these simple steps we ensure that your video calls will be improved.
