Zoom boom’s workplace tricks

FEW had heard of Zoom before the pandemic struck but it seems we’ve been quick to learn how to use the videoconferencing tool to our advantage.

Researchers have discovered that home workers are using clever ruses to look good in front of their bosses.

Two-thirds of people surveyed admit setting their camera at an angle to make them look more domineering. Almost a quarter (23%) have joined Zoom calls while on an exercise bike to appear disciplined and dynamic, while 82% wear office attire on the upper body while dressing casually below the waist.

Even more (86%) admit to thinking carefully about their decor, and just over half (54% ) said they often spoke in Zoom meetings to look more involved. Meanwhile, 56% try to look busier by leaving Zoom calls to attend another meeting that doesn’t actually exist.

But the survey also found that people use Zoom for an easier life. Only 26% said they worked a seven or eight-hour day from home, and just 2% said they put in a day longer than eight hours.