San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
IS IT TIME TO ZOOM OUT?
U-T ECONOMETER
Is it time to pull back on so much videoconferencing in the workplace? Out panel of experts weighs in.
YES
There are limits to usefulness and effectiveness of Zoom meetings. Much like meeting in person, online meetings can be efficient when appropriately organized and focused. Zoom meetings tend to increase cognitive load, taking up considerable conscious memory capacity. They can be exhausting as one feels a need to appear interested, and in absence of many non-verbal cues, intently focus on words and sustain eye contact. Compartmentalizing times are also important considerations, realizing employment is not 24/7.
YES
Studies have shown that too many video meetings are hurting productivity. A study by Wundamail Research found that wasted time in meetings is costing businesses $1,250 per employee per month. Workers are more easily distracted, it is more difficult to determine if people are paying attention, and employees are less likely to follow up on actions agreed to in video meetings. The latter is due to people forgetting key information, which may be due to a reduced attention span during these meetings.
NO
I, too, value and miss inperson meetings. However, a better way to look at Zoom is as a tool to enhance productivity. When you are Zooming you don’t have to show up to the meeting (e.g., commuting), and you can often multitask (considered rude if you are actually in the room). We will move forward not in a Zoom or Not to Zoom world, but with more tools in our communication tool shed.
NO
This is really not a decision one can make for all businesses. This question beckons the need for management to be cognizant of too many meetings with too many people involved, which used to happen with in-person meetings as well. Most work requires a combination of meeting and communication time and a time to focus alone. Not everyone will have the same proportions of need for solo versus group time. Again management needs to figure that out.
NO
Maybe they should look at scaling back many of their meetings. Just because video conferencing is so easy, it should not be a temptation for more meetings. Used judiciously, video conferencing can allow staff to attend important out-of-town meetings that were off-limits before but not additional local meetings. Conferencing should be our friend and save us time, not waste it.
YES
While some research indicates virtual meeting platforms like Zoom are part of a productivity dive, the tools proved critical in the wake of COVID-19. Video calling has become the default for communication — now more than the phone call. The extended day-after-day use makes “Zoom fatigue” a real issue. Studies are showing burnout from overuse. Contributing factors being screen time, focus required and onscreen stimuli. All said, businesses should encourage Zoom-free time.
YES
We miss out on a lot of non-verbal communication and our feelings and attitudes are largely conveyed much more fully in an in-person meeting. In-person meetings allow us to catch up on things with colleagues where if it is a virtual meeting, we would not likely do that. The heightened emphasis on facial cues and the ability to see what people are really thinking is lost. Plus, looking at our face for an entire meeting?
NO
I do believe companies should promote a healthy work-life balance, encourage staff to take time off to refresh, and establish programs that encourage health and wellness. But naming one day as a Zoomfree day as some companies have done is just gimmicky, in my opinion. Zoom and Teams have been very effective at Scripps during the pandemic and we will continue using them avoid lost productivity resulting from driving to and from multiple locations for in-person meetings.