Six do’s and don’ts of Zoom happy hours

If you are new to Zoom, take a minute when you sign on to find the mute button

With no place to go on Friday nights, a growing number of those stuck at home are embracing the #zoomhappyhour. Lonely people who had never heard of Zoom — let alone held a Zoom business meeting — before we began social distancing two months ago are navigating the video conferencing platform.

In case you haven’t yet been invited to one yet, here’s how it works. You arrange your snacks around your computer, make sure your webcam is set up and click a common link, which takes you into the Zoom meeting. If you don’t like the looks of your living room, you can replace it with a virtual background — a beach, outer space or even just a better-looking living room (retailers such as West Elm and Behr are getting in on the Zoom background game, highlighting their own products, of course).

These guidelines will help you mind your manners.

1. Do take your host duties seriously

If you are hosting the party and send out the Zoom link, you have a responsibility to your guests. Depending on your settings, you may have to be in the session before anyone else can join. Be ready to welcome the group, and once everyone’s online, do introductions if you need to. It’s your job to keep the conversation going.

2. Don’t share the link without telling the host

Hosting a virtual cocktail party is similar to hosting in the real world. A good guest would never show up with more guests without clearing it in advance. “Some people don’t care and just feel like the more the merrier,” a Zoom spokesperson said. But unless you know your host feels that way, don’t force any more people into the mix.

3. Don’t show up late

There’s no “fashionably late” when it comes to Zoom entertaining. While you would be OK dropping by a 6-to-8 cocktail party at 6.30, in the Zoom world, that would be extremely rude. “Even though this is a cocktail party, you should treat this as you would a business meeting, whether real or virtual,” the spokesperson said. “Be on time.”

4. Do acquaint yourself with the mute button

Your fellow partiers don’t need to hear your kids fighting. If you are new to Zoom, take a minute when you sign on to find the mute button. Just remember to unmute yourself when you want to say something.

“If you are not doing Zoom all the time and are searching around for mute and unmute, you might miss something, and your moment to make a contribution to a conversation may pass you by,” the spokesperson said.

5. Do keep the numbers reasonable

“If I were to host a dinner party, I would invite six to eight people. Those are the perfect numbers for a Zoom party as well. It allows for time to meet everybody, even if the party is scheduled for only one hour,” said the spokesperson.

6. Don’t multitask

People looking at their phones is a no-no. Although it’s tempting, it’s rude. “When someone’s physical presence isn’t in front of you, you think you can multitask,” the spokesperson said. “People may be used to doing this at work, but you would never do that in a social context.”