Video conferences are here to stay. What to do?

In March 2021, Portugal completed a year of pandemic. A lot has changed in our lives, with one of the most evident changes being social distancing and its consequences. One of them was the migration to videoconferencing platforms as an alternative to in-person meetings and classes. If you are like most professionals or students, it is likely that you spend a large part of your workdays on Zoom (or Google Meet, MS Teams, Webex, or another platform of this kind). And even when the return to offices and in-person classes happens, all studies point to the maintenance of many of the practices adopted during this period, such as online meetings and remote work. Therefore, when life returns to normal, you will continue to spend a lot of time in video meetings.

'As this change was so sudden, there was no time for training on how to make the most of video conferences. But it's not too late! Here are some tips to take your online meetings to the next level!'

 1 - Find the right space

If you usually hold video conferences from any space in the house, it's time to create a place that you know you can always use for that and prepare it. Choose a comfortable area, with good lighting and acoustics, and with some privacy. Make sure your laptop is positioned so that you are looking directly at the camera.

2 - Repair the kit.

These are the tools that will help you get the most out of online meetings or classes, without having to make a big investment:

• Screen screen - allows you to use a convincing image for your background and change it whenever you think it's appropriate. When you simply use a virtual background without a green screen, the person's body starts to blend in with what is behind them, which distracts both themselves and the other participants in the meeting.
• Microphone - interference and poor audio are among the most annoying elements of online meetings. Make your voice clear and reduce background noise with headphones or an external microphone.
• Lighting - this variable has the power to greatly improve or destroy your appearance. In some cases, it may not even be an important factor, but if it is a serious meeting or a job interview, for example, it will have a significant influence. Some affordable LED lights will make all the difference.
• Wired connection - Wifi, even in the best-served areas of the country and the world, is not always reliable, and video call communications require a lot of bandwidth. To ensure that your camera doesn't freeze when you're making a presentation, it's best to get a cable to connect the computer directly to the router.

3 - Get ready.

In the office, there was no need for much preparation for a meeting, it was enough to leave the desk and go to the meeting room. At home, the situation changes. There are some precautions that one should take:

• Keep your computer, mobile phone, headphones, and lights ready to use. Before you go to sleep, leave everything charging so you don't have unpleasant surprises when you need them.
• Constant interruptions are annoying and decrease your productivity and professionalism. To avoid them, turn off ringtones, alarms, and notifications on all your devices. Put a do not disturb sign on the door of the room where you are working. Make sure you haven't scheduled deliveries during the times of the most important meetings.

'Some like it more than others. But video conferences are here to stay, regardless of whether we return physically to the office or to classes. By adopting these practices, you will improve your performance and stand out in your online workplace!'