Frequently asked questions and answers for Adler employees
INTRO
Remote work has profoundly changed how we work and negotiate space. The majority of our meetings are now online – through Zoom or Teams – and how we interact and connect has changed. There are many elements that are beyond our control when we are required to work from home that may not have even been factors when we were working from the office. You or your colleagues may be sharing a workspace with family members, roommates, pets, or even neighbors. Additionally, your new “co-workers” may have varying break schedules and needs. During all interactions, we encourage you to start by extending grace, empathy, and positive intent to all your colleagues, then do your part to be a good meeting citizen.
Below is some guidance around how to navigate the home-work overlap and establish some healthy boundaries for yourself and your colleagues during online meetings. All these points are meant to be informative, but conversational, and open to some interpretation. We will each need to assess the context of each individual meeting to determine the best answer for your circumstances; we can no longer operate within a “one size fits all” approach. We hope that the answers below will help provide some guidance.
What is appropriate attire when on an online call?
For most online meetings, a t-shirt, blouse or collared shirt is sufficient. You want to make sure that you are fully clothed, yet comfortable, in case you need to walk away from the screen. If not, you’ll find yourself in an awkward situation! Working from home allows us to be more casual than we may have been in the office but consider the context of the meeting when selecting your attire – meetings with students, prospective students, or board members may require more professional attire.
When should I have my camera on?
Your camera should be on whenever possible or feasible. However, there may be times when you prefer to have your camera off and this is fine; make sure to communicate this with your colleagues via voice or chat prior to the start of the meeting. It is also okay to turn your camera off during a meeting, if necessary; again, let your colleagues know via voice or chat.
If you’re hosting the meeting, it’s probably necessary to be on camera, however, there may be times when you need to turn your camera off as well (e.g., tending to a family member). Again, just be sure to let your colleagues know the situation.
Does the lighting matter when I am on camera?
The lighting in your meeting room and camera positioning will impact how clearly your colleagues can see you during the call. Consider the lighting around you and what is available; you may want to get an additional lamp or light to adjust how you are coming across. Learn more about how to look your best on a video call..
What do I do about background noise and should I keep my microphone on or off?
If you are concerned about background noise, it’s best to mute your microphone! You can mute your microphone when someone else is speaking or if there’s a lot going on in the background. If you notice colleagues commenting in the chat about distracting background noise, consider if your surroundings may be the cause and mute your microphone accordingly.
When should I use the chat? Can everyone see my message?
How you use the chat feature will likely depend on the type of meeting you are in. The chat can be very useful to share key points or summaries, links to shared documents or websites, and/or to let the group know you need to step away. When you are sending a chat message, make sure to check who you are sending it to. In most Zoom calls you can either send a message to “everyone” or a private message to a single attendee (in Teams, the meeting chat is for everyone). Always double check who you are sending the message to before you hit send.
What do I do if I have to go to the restroom and I’m in an online meeting?
If you must use the restroom, send a message saying, “I’ll be right back” and that’s it. You are not required to provide further details. It also might be a good idea to mute your microphone and turn off your camera too! 😊
Is it okay to multi-task during an online meeting?
In general, multi-tasking during a meeting means you are likely to miss some or all of the conversation. There may be a reason that you are quickly checking on something else or looking away from the camera (such as to take notes on another screen). Make sure to communicate with your colleagues if you are looking away or appear to be multi-tasking so they understand what is happening. If you are unable to fully engage in a meeting, be transparent. If you think one of your colleagues is multi-tasking and this is causing a distraction, contact them, using the private chat function, but be empathetic – there may be something going on that is out of their control – such as a family member or pet that needed their attention.
Can I eat or drink in an online meeting?
Yes, it is okay to eat or drink while on an online call, however, keep in mind you are on video and should consider the context of the meeting. You can eat or drink while others are speaking or sharing important information from their screen. This offers you a window of opportunity to take a bite or a sip. It’s also okay to switch your camera off, or mute yourself for a moment, to eat or drink while in an online meeting. However, if you are presenting or are meeting with board members or students, it is best you avoid eating to ensure a successful meeting.
How do I politely leave an online meeting?
At the very start of the meeting, let your colleagues know that you must leave early. You can just give a wave and leave the meeting or just leave quietly. If you didn’t let the host or your colleagues know ahead of time, it’s perfectly fine to communicate that message via chat.
I am hosting an online meeting; what strategies can I employ to make a better experience for my colleagues?
As the meeting host, you set the tone and structure for the next 15 to 90 minutes (or more). How you facilitate the meeting can have a big impact on the success of your outcomes, as well as the experience of your attendees.
First, be timely. You and your co-workers may very well be jumping from one meeting to the next. While you want to wait for everyone to join and get started, you also need to respect the time of those who arrived on time. Start your call within 5 minutes of the scheduled start time and do your very best to end on time, if not 5 minutes early, to allow your attendees to take a quick restroom or snack break and be on time for their next meeting. Creating a clear agenda and asking someone to be your timekeeper can help keep your meeting on track.
Second, extend your attendees grace, empathy, and understanding. It is possible that things will come up during the meeting that are out of their control and may impact their ability to participate. As the host, you will have the ability to mute participants, ask them to unmute, and turn off a participant’s video – so if an issue does arise that is disruptive, you can help mitigate. Learn more about managing participants in Zoom or Teams meetings.
Third, do some housekeeping. Establish meeting norms and expectations ahead of the meeting or collectively during your first meeting (if there will be a series of meetings) and share these out in your meeting invite, at the start of the meeting, and through the meeting chat. Establishing norms will allow everyone to know how and when to participate and what is expected of them. This will also help those attendees who may join late or may have missed a few meetings. Items to consider in your meeting norms:
- Cameras – on/off/either? Is there a preference for the group or specific individuals (see above re: should I have my camera on? In case the group decision does not work with your momentary circumstances.)
- Muting – does the group prefer to be muted when not speaking or only if there is extraneous background noise?
- Food & drink – is there any reason attendees should not be eating/drinking during the meeting? Or is this a working lunch meeting?
- Dress code – is there any unique dress code that needs to be used for this meeting?
- Recording – will the meeting be recorded? If so, how will the recording be used and where will it be shared?
- Engagement – how should attendees engage in conversation – by talking over the microphone, through the chat, or do they need to raise their hand to be called on by the host?
- Chat – make sure to monitor the chat yourself or ask someone to monitor it for the group, this way you do not miss any contributions to the meeting.
- Values – while the items above may pertain specifically to online meetings, Adler employees should always endeavor to be good meeting citizens. Be respectful and extend basic common courtesies and norms from in-person meetings to the online setting.
Do I need to account for different time zones when setting up an online meeting?
Adler has employees in almost all of North America, so keep this in mind when scheduling a meeting. Always make sure to reference the time zone and be considerate of early or late meetings that may have a more extreme impact on one of your co-workers. If you are scheduling a meeting for 9 am CT, keep in mind that your colleague may be in the pacific time zone, and that meeting is starting at 7 am for them. Or, if you are scheduling a call for 4 pm PT and you have a colleague in the eastern time zone, that meeting is starting at 7 pm for them. Beyond your colleagues, assess whether your meeting includes students, as they too may be in different time zones; in addition to some of our students residing outside of North America, some students have not yet relocated due to COVID-19.
Microsoft Outlook does have a scheduling assistant that can help identify the best time for a group to meet.