Working from home comes with a certain luxury that can be taken advantage of. Business casual wear gets replaced with comfy loungewear, slippers, and messy buns or scarves, while makeup may sit untouched for days on your vanity. It's truly amazing...buuuut sometimes we get a little too comfortable when it's time for us to hop on our next Zoom call.
I try to be mindful that I'm not doing anything annoying, but there have been times where my kiddo has shown his face during a team meeting or two. While I have a pretty understanding team (Editor's note: said team loves said child), I know not every job is okay with a kid popping in and out if they're in a meeting with important clients or executives.
Aside from kids on calls, there are a few other annoying things that have the potential to rub your co-workers or boss the wrong way. Jo Caruana, business etiquette consultant and CEO of the Finesse Group, shares some of the things you should steer clear of in the workplace — and I threw in a couple more for good measure! Here's to being a better coworker, kicking one bad habit at a time.
Ignoring the dress code if your WFH job calls for one, or if you're meeting a client virtually
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Your remote job may not require you to wear business casual wear, but some people may not want to see you wearing an oversized tee or pajama shirt that has holes in it. This is especially true if you know important clients are going to be on a Zoom call. Caruana says, "Zoom attire (the "up-top chic, down below sweats" look made famous by Covid) is the go-to for many of us now, but it's important not to let standards slip below that if you're on calls with clients."
Her rule of thumb is to be mindful of what you're wearing even if you are at home. "If you wouldn't meet a client in your food-covered-hoodie IRL, I don't recommend you do it on Zoom either. As for internal meetings — that's up to you, your colleagues and company policy to decide, but I think it's still nice to respect the fact people have taken the time to meet you and to take your PJs off."
Multitasking to the point that you're not paying attention
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You're not a terrible person if you're taking notes during a meeting because it's impossible to remember everything that's discussed. However, it can become an issue if you're overly focused on note-taking, what's going on outside your window, that project you're trying to wrap up, what you're going to eat for dinner, or what's happening on the latest episode of Bridgerton.
"Remember those early Zoom days when we were all so focused on not revealing ourselves that we actually paid attention? Today there's a good chance everyone on the call is simply nodding and smiling while actually getting through their to-do list in the background," Caruana says. Ironically this reminds me of a scene from Madagascar where the lead penguin says, "Just smile and wave boys."
I'd be lying if I said my mind doesn't drift during meetings sometimes, but it truly makes a world of difference when you're actively engaged during a work call. "I know it's tempting, but it is important to stay present on Zoom meetings, just as you would in-person. It's the only way you can avoid that dreaded moment when you are called on by your boss but have no idea what's going on," Caruana says. "Plus, it's only fair to give other people your time and attention if they've showed up to spend time with you. AND multitasking is never the most efficient way to get things done.
Using your social media voice during important Zoom and work calls
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Raise your hand if social media lingo has slipped into your everyday conversations. I can't tell you how many times I've said and written, "It's giving [blank]" or "It's the [blank] for me." I'm human, so I'm throughly capable of being influenced.
However, not everyone understands certain lingo, so it's best not to sprinkle them throughout your work calls. Not only that, but some 'jokes' have the tendency to fall horrifically flat. We've all been in a meeting where someone decides to recount a funny joke that's actually cringey.
"Yes, it's online — but that doesn't mean you should act like the comments section of a Twitter (sorry, X) thread. If you wouldn't communicate a certain way in person, then don't do it in a Zoom meeting. Oh and don't make inappropriate jokes," Caruana says.
Checking your phone or tablet for other incoming messages
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I learned early on that people do not appreciate when you're on your phone while they're talking to you, but not everyone is aware of how this may come across. Caruana says, " Don't look at your smart watch to check your messages in clear view. It makes it look like you have somewhere more important to be!"
Drinking wine during calls
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I wish I could make this up, but I've definitely heard an unpleasant story about a client appearing on a Zoom call with a full wine glass in their hand. Hopefully no one who works from home has done this during team meetings, but I thought it'd be a good idea to mention how awful that is.
We all love a good glass of wine, but I don't think our colleagues want to see us downing a full glass in the middle of the afternoon.
Smoking with your camera off
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It is with a heavy sigh that I'm typing this. My S.O. used to work from home and had daily Zoom meetings with his team. Although one of his co-workers usually kept her camera off, everyone could hear her lighting a cigarette and puffing into the phone. He said it's the most annoying thing to hear something blowing loudly into their headset while you're trying to debrief about various tasks.
Uh, I can only imagine and have a couple of thoughts. One, that's annoying. Two, that's just having bad manners. If you wouldn't light a cigarette in the middle of a conference room, I highly recommend you don't do it while you're on a Zoom call.
What are some of the annoying Zoom habits you've seen? Let us know in the comments!
Lead image via Matilda Wormwood/Pexels
