In years without a pandemic, professionalism could start the moment you left the house. Office attire, office space, office manners.
In 2020, however, those lines have become extremely blurred.
Now, a great deal of office etiquette requires us to manage professional problems in our personal space. Our colleagues can peer into our dining rooms. Your boss can hear everything the kids are shouting in the next room. And clients are trying to evaluate your skills while the Zoom screen keeps buffering.
In this atmosphere, it can be difficult to keep up professional standards. However, here are a few tips you can keep in mind to make sure that your remote work presence appears equally competent and credible as your in-office self.
1. First things first: Is your internet working? It may seem like a too-obvious place to begin, but it’s very important to make sure that your internet connection is running at its best speed. Online video streaming platforms need a strong signal in order to be able to support audio and video.
If your router is hardwired into your device, you will have a much better result than if you are using Wi-Fi. If you are using a Wi-Fi connection, how far away your device (computer) is from the router will affect your speed, and therefore the quality of your audio and video in your meeting.
Another factor that could affect your streaming quality is how many other devices in your house are online at the same time; you are sharing a finite amount of bandwidth. Rebooting your router will boost your speed and 80 per cent of the time solve most connection issues. If that doesn’t work, consider investing in a WiFi booster.
2. How do you look on the computer screen? Computer video cameras have very small processors and do not work well in low light conditions. If you look blurry it is most likely getting handled quite a bit and may be covered with layers of oils from your fingertips. Get a soft cloth and clean that lens! This can make a huge difference.
If cleaning the lens does not work, it could be an older camera that just doesn’t have the technology needed for a sharp streaming image. In that case, you may need to use a webcam.
3. How does your background look? Your workspace should be clean and uncluttered, with a neutral backdrop. Remember, this space is how clients, coworkers, and employers will judge your professional standards.
Before settling on a workspace, run through your “office environment” check list. What do others see in my background? Are there items that appear to be growing out of my head (a lamp, a sculpture, a plant)? Is the background cluttered and disorganized? Is there anything causing a reflection? What items should be removed from the background or tidied up? Are there piles of paper all over the place? Has a child left some of his toys in your work area? Are other people walking around in the background?
4. How is the lighting in your environment? There are two main issues that need to be addressed to get the lighting right for your online meetings: the light in the background (what is behind you), and the light in the foreground (how the light falls on you).
To deliver a sharp image that is pleasant to look at, these cameras need a lot of light. If your background appears dark, it can make you look foreboding or downright creepy. The main rule to remember—the background should never have more light than the foreground.
Sometimes a table lamp, moved behind your computer screen, will provide just the right amount of light. The goal is to get the light either behind your computer screen or to the sides of the screen, so that it shines on your face.
Recessed lighting can help light the general area as long as it is not right over your head, which will create shadows under your eyes and chin.
Place your desk or table in front of the window, so that you are facing the window. This will work well as long as you are not getting direct sunlight on your face. Windows that are behind you are not ideal.
If you have no choice but to set your computer where there is a window in the background, close the blinds and curtains, or get a shade for the window. If you do not have blinds, shades, or curtains, you can tape some heavy white paper over the windows—but preventative steps must be taken to prevent backlighting.
5. But what if you can’t get your set-up or lighting to meet your professional standards? Don’t give up hope–there are still a couple of alternate ways to furnish your background.
One option is to use a white pop-up backdrop, which can be folded up easily at the end of the day.
Alternatively, you can escape messy reality altogether and opt for a virtual background. These work best if you use a green screen behind you, which makes it easier for the application to remove the background and keep the edges from blurring together. A green-screen background can be created in a variety of ways: with a piece of fabric, a pop-up screen that is on a taut wire, or a pull-up green screen.
The most important things to understand when using a green screen are that it has to be taut (no wrinkles), and it has to be evenly lit (no shadows).
Some warnings: Not all computer processors are able to support a virtual background. If not done properly, virtual backgrounds can also sometimes be distracting, and are therefore not always appropriate for a business call. Choose a simple white or gradient gray to keep all the attention on you.
6. Once your visual set-up is looking the way you want it, it’s time to concentrate on your sound. How your voice sounds while streaming usually depends on the quality of the microphone you are using, but your environment can also affect it.
If you hear an echo when you are speaking, it means that you are using two audio sources (such as a phone and a computer); to correct this, turn one of the sources off.
If you are working in a quiet space with no ambient background noise, go to the audio settings on the platform you are using. If there is an option to turn off the “optimize or enhance sound” feature, make sure it is unchecked. This setting is there to help mitigate ambient noise, but it will also reduce your sound quality; if your space is totally quiet, you don’t need it.
If possible, try to find a space that has lots of soft surfaces (like upholstered furniture and carpeting), which will help to absorb sound.
Being heard well by others is the goal. The built-in microphone of the computer is not close enough to your mouth to provide good audio, and it tends to pick up any other ambient noise in your environment. This is where an external microphone can make a big difference.
What you don’t want to do is use the microphone attached to your wired earbuds. This is fine for family and friends, but it is not appropriate for business meetings or interacting with clients.
7. Your background looks presentable, your sound works great. But how should you appear on camera? We’ve all seen people sitting at their desks with their ceiling in the background, or with the camera pointed at the furniture in their room instead of directly at them. These are classic rookie mistakes!
You must make sure that the camera is at your eye level. I don’t mean “kind of” at eye level, but actually eye level, whether you are sitting or standing.
By getting the angle right, people can see you in a way that mimics you sitting across the table from them. This is the goal, because it makes it easier for them to look at your face, connect, and engage.
You can get the camera at the right level by placing your laptop on boxes, books, or whatever you can find that is flat and level. If you are using a tablet or phone, use a tripod. You may want to get an adjustable platform on which to place your laptop computer just for this purpose.
If you are using a tablet or smartphone, consider getting a mini tripod. Some tripods come with holders for your device. If you plan on standing sometimes, be sure to get a tripod that goes high enough to raise your device to eye level when you are standing up straight.
8. Once you get the camera at eye level, do a test shot to fine-tune how you are framed. Simply tilt your laptop screen or device forward to get rid of the ceiling and headroom. You want your image to fill the frame.
Your on-camera framing should look like this: In most situations, the middle of your chest should be at the bottom of the frame, in a chest-up shot. This shot starts about four inches or so below your armpit. Do not frame yourself closer than that to the camera! Closer shots make viewers feel like you are invading their personal space. The top of your head should be barely below the top of the frame.
However, if your hands are going to be seen by the viewer, then they should be seen the whole time that you are on camera, and not just pop up into the frame now and then. You can achieve this with a waist-up shot. And don’t forget even if you’re standing, you do not want to leave a lot of headroom.
If you intend to hold something up in the frame—for example, a product you are discussing—always frame yourself from the waist up. You don’t want the object you are showing to block your face.
9. Your face is in the frame, and everyone’s eyes are on you. But what is your appearance telling your audience?
Many people are reluctant to appear on camera, afraid that they are being judged. They’re right—people evaluate others based on snap evaluations constantly. But conveying your professional credibility doesn’t have to be a massive undertaking. A few quick style adjustments can improve your overall look and improve your confidence in appearing onscreen.
For women in online meetings, you should even your skin tone with powder, foundation, or concealer. Adding some blush and lip color can make a huge difference. Due to the reflections from so much direct lighting, avoid shimmery, iridescent, or makeup products that reflect light. Eliminate any excess facial shine with powder.
Men have always worn makeup for TV appearances. Getting rid of the shine is paramount for men too. Powder application is highly recommended to eliminate shine. If you need to cover dark circles or blemishes as well, take advantage of corrective products that correct dark circles or blemishes.
For men’s attire, the camera prefers solid color shirts and jackets, rather than prints. Avoid wearing either very light (especially white) shirts, or very dark ones. Any shade of blue always works, but avoid yellow, green, beige, and tan colors. If you are wearing a suit or sports jacket, stay away from earth tones or black, and go for navy or mid-tone gray.
If you are a woman and wearing a jacket (blazer), blouse or dress, do not choose black or white. Very dark or very light shades will greatly affect the exposure that the camera will adjust to, which can end up having too much contrast. Mid-tone colors look great on camera. Mid-tones and jewel tones are ideal.
Accessories should be used sparingly and be minimal in size. Avoid anything reflective and shiny, as well as sparkles, dangling earrings, “statement” jewelry, and things that take the attention away from your face.
If you wear glasses, you will have reflections on the glass that keep people from seeing your eyes. Don’t worry! You can use a simple trick used by TV stars and journalists, and tilt the sides of your glasses up about one and a half inches above your ear.
Remember, your professional appearance is an opportunity to tell the world, that you value yourself, you are capable, and you are an asset to your organization.
10. Your final, and most important, step before entering a professional remote space is keeping in mind what you are trying to accomplish. You want your coworkers, employers, and clients to come way remembering your competence and professionalism. It doesn’t matter how good your background, sound, or appearance looks if you are not behaving in a way that matches your sophisticated set-up.
How do you behave during the meeting? Sign into the meeting looking attentive and sitting up straight. You can leave a powerful and lasting impression with your colleagues or clients by speaking up clearly. Remember to wait until the speaker invites interaction, so you aren’t interrupting the flow of the meeting.
When you speak, be sure to look directly at the camera, not at the video screen. This will help the other viewers feel like you are looking at them.
When it is appropriate, you can smile, or nod your head with approval or agreement when others are speaking: do not look down or multitask during the meeting. Unless you are invited to do so by the speaker, don’t eat or drink during the meeting.
Do not distract other participants: turn your video off if there is something you need to tend to or if you need to get up.
Even in these challenging times, it’s important to make sure that we hold ourselves to the highest standard of professionalism, Remote work is often messy and chaotic, but these tips should help reduce the uncertainty around remote work etiquette and make sure that you appear as confident and competent as you would in an office environment.
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Kim Foley is an award-winning TV producer, corporate media trainer, and author. She has worked with high-profile clients including Presidents Barack Obama, George Bush, Bill Clinton, and late-night hosts Jay Leno and Stephen Colbert. She has worked for Meet the Press and 60 Minutes as well as ABC, NBC, CBS, HBO, MTV, BBC, Lifetime, and The Discovery Channel. Her clients include ExxonMobile, Nestlé, KPMG, FBI, CIA, IRS, NIH and FDA.
Her book, “Virtual Meetings With Power And Presence: The Ultimate Guide To Online Meetings” is available on Amazon.
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