Turn on/off cameras during working meetings
Should you turn on your camera during a work meeting or not? How our brain and the brain of our interlocutors react, and how to manage it.
For the past couple of years, starting from the COVID-19 pandemic, work meetings have shifted to online or hybrid formats. As a trainer and educator, I always turn on my camera and have no doubt about its benefits. However, motivating training participants to turn on their cameras can be challenging.

Look at the pros and cons of cameras during work meetings, including certain aspects of neurophysiology and psychology. I will also share some technical tips and tricks I use to join video calls confidently.

Let's examine from three perspectives how an enabled/disabled camera affects:
  1. The person who turns it on
  2. Other meeting participants who see the person's video
  3. The effectiveness of work meetings

Yulia Iostman
MCT
1
The person who turns it on
I will turn on the camera, but what's in it for others? And what do I gain from someone else turning on their camera?
Mirror neurons
Let's start with mirror neurons in the brain.
They play a crucial role in empathy, allowing us to easily imitate our parents' actions during childhood and perceive the emotions of others. When we read the words "everything is fine" and hear the same text, we can feel completely different based on the tone of voice. In the first case, it may indeed be true, while in the second case, the tone indicates something else. Video provides us with a wealth of information – facial expressions and gestures. This context enriches the information we receive. With the help of mirror neurons, we can determine whether a subordinate is genuinely doing well or if they need help but are hesitant to ask for it.
Emotional contagion
When someone enters a meeting, smiles, and shares something positive, it uplifts the team's mood. If multiple people contribute to this atmosphere, others catch on as well. By the way, the same effect applies to ourselves. Start smiling, and your brain perceives it as a positive sign, triggering a "chemistry of good mood." Conversely, frowning in the sunlight can slightly dampen your mood as "frowning feels off." Therefore, if you want to create a specific atmosphere in a meeting, turn on your camera and convey that state to your colleagues. You can even complement it with an appropriate background. Look at this picture—it usually evokes calm and pleasant sensations. Use it as your backdrop and enhance the meeting with these emotions.
Memory and attention
Turning on the camera is beneficial when you want to capture attention. Slides with audio narration are not as engaging as the emotions and facial expressions of another person. There's always a feeling that you can watch the slides later. So, if you want someone to listen to you more attentively and be fully present, you need to add an emotional component. Smile in some places, tell a joke, elicit an emotional reaction to the information, thereby increasing the chances of memorization.
Memory and attention
Turning on the camera is beneficial when you want to capture attention. Slides with audio narration are not as engaging as the emotions and facial expressions of another person. There's always a feeling that you can watch the slides later. So, if you want someone to listen to you more attentively and be fully present, you need to add an emotional component. Smile in some places, tell a joke, elicit an emotional reaction to the information, thereby increasing the chances of memorization.
2
The one who see the person's video
Self-evaluation
The most challenging aspect of turning on the camera is self-evaluation and external judgment. Often, we hesitate to enable the camera because we feel we need to look our best or our surroundings are messy.

Here are some basic recommendations:
  • First and foremost for managers: Is there enough focus on work-related matters rather than a person's appearance? What is the meeting's primary focus? Establish rules within your team before the meeting or in a group chat. Can people share memes, show their pets, or join from different locations, like a beach?
  • Secondly, for the individual: Take a look at how your colleagues present themselves and recall how you used to dress when going to the office. Find a compromise that works for you. I have a few "work" shirts and basic t-shirts that instantly transform me from someone who just woke up into a professional employee. Additionally, using a few Teams features can help smooth out any signs of tiredness on my face and change my location from a beautiful café or beach to the cozy courtyard of my home.
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