Many workers are heading into their fourth year of
According to software company Dialpad, nearly 83% of professionals do not believe video is necessary for every meeting, while nearly 45% believe audio calls are sufficient for meetings without screen-sharing. However, most professionals agree that when it comes down to more pivotal moments in one's career, such as interviews, trainings and presentations, face time matters.
"Video is the only digital channel of communication where body language is front and center," says Rachel Cossar, co-founder and CEO of Virtual Sapiens, a platform that helps workers master their communication skills over video. "The visual representation of ourselves over video makes this channel so powerful and human. Being aware of how we come across and the messages our nonverbal [cues] may be sending is critical."
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Cossar notes that
That starts with the basics: Speakers should orient their body to their camera's lens and look at it when talking. This helps the audience perceive the speaker as more trustworthy and authoritative, Cossar says. Similarly, the speaker should ensure their camera's position is set and secure so they don't fidget with it during the meeting, which can come across as distracting or disrespectful. While easier said than done, the speaker should also try not to touch their face or hair since it can communicate nervousness or restlessness.
"The foundational rule of effective body language is to be aware of your audience and their vantage point," she says. "Where you look is critical — you want your gaze directed towards your lens to help you connect with your audience. But you want to ensure you maintain a regular blink rate. People tend to blink less on video, which can cause your audience to feel intimidated."
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However, the speaker shouldn't be entirely still. While people have a tendency to reduce their expressivity on camera due to their heightened awareness of being watched by others, hand gestures and varied facial expressions can often help the speaker better communicate their point, underlines Cossar.
"If you aren't conveying varied emotions with your face, it becomes difficult for your audience to understand how you feel about something and how they should feel," says Cossar. "If you are talking about something exciting, but your facial expression remains neutral, your audience is less likely to feel excited about this project or believe you are excited about it. This undermines trust and rapport."
By maintaining an open and upright posture, speakers can ensure their body language as well as their words are directed at the intended audience, too. Ultimately, workers have to practice engaging with the camera without feeling like every move they make is being clocked. It may help to practice alone to see how you present in your self-view box, and then hide your self-view in a real meeting.
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Whether in-person or via video, it's not easy to be put on the spot for interviews or presentations, but at least the remote world can offer more control over one's environment and just how much the audience sees. If the speaker is prepared, engaged and aware of bad habits, video meetings can be a great medium to inform and connect with others, emphasizes Cossar.
"For individuals connecting remotely, how you show up on video has replaced how you might show up in person," says Cossar. "This means it is even more important to be aware of the messages we send with our body language."
