Loup’s (self-aware) Guide to Remote Work Etiquette

We’ve logged thousands of hours on video conference calls — it’s how we stay connected as a team, work together on projects, and minimize the carbon cost of unnecessary travel . We can report that parody videos about exasperating calls are painfully accurate. Background noise, poor connectivity, and audio gremlins are extremely disruptive — especially for a team just learning to work remotely. If you and your team are transitioning to full-time distributed work, here are some basics:

• Get proper equipment: a webcam that points at your face; headphones so you can hear; a microphone so people can hear you. These things matter because we gather social and emotional cues through facial expressions and tone of voice. If others can’t see you or hear you properly, it’s going to have an impact on how you (and your brilliant ideas) are perceived.
• Test your setup. If you have abruptly transitioned to remote work and your first call is the annual board meeting…Test. Your. Setup.
• Invest in proper broadband. We realize this isn’t possible in all locations and for all incomes, but a good connection is really, really useful for effective distributed work. If you’re on a tight budget, don’t skimp here.
• Sit down in a quiet space. Demonstrate empathy for your colleagues by not calling from a noisy airport departure lounge or strolling down an urban street while you’re on video. If you must join the call while on the move or in a loud location, for the love of God please mute yourself.
• Limit your eating. A discreet sip of coffee is one thing but we give a hard pass on carrot sticks, chips, and sloppy tacos. If you must eat (we understand; time zones mean it’s lunchtime somewhere), mute your audio and turn your camera off. Never underestimate the power of your microphone to amplify every chew. Misophonia alert!
• Keep the pets and kids away. 🚨World Pandemic Exception🚨 Playful kids, attentive pets, and partially clothed spouses may make a surprise appearance in your meeting. IT’S OKAY! Every day brings a new normal, and proper etiquette isn’t a priority when larger issues are at stake. Let’s celebrate each other’s messy, locked-down lives and have patience as we navigate this together.
• Mute when not talking. If there are more than three participants on the call, or if someone is presenting, it’s best to mute your microphone. If you can’t hear because of someone’s background noise, it’s OK to politely ask them to mute. If someone thinks they are muted but aren’t, it is your urgent duty as a caring colleague to let them know before they embarrass themselves with a noise they think is private (it happens!)

😳 Loup’s Hall of Shame 😳

In all fairness, we can’t write about remotee etiquette without owning up to our own failings in this department!

Erika is guilty of…

• overzealous smirking while on video
• eating porridge while wearing a headset
• leaving a meeting to discipline the cat

Chris must confess to…

• juggling whatever fruit is available
• pop up videos as he refreshes news sites in other browser tabs
• overreacting to his desktop notifications, which should be turned off anyway

Christine is notorious for…

• bouncing between 4 rooms during a video call
• fixing people’s formatting as they write in a document
• leaving a meeting to praise the dog

Loup offers custom organizational design and guidance with a specialization in helping geographically distributed teams. Through training, coaching, tooling, and facilitation, we help establish healthy project management processes and practices for teams. Learn more about our services.