Virtual Meeting Etiquette: Twelve Habits Small Teams Appreciate

When people meet in a room, they follow a lot of unwritten rules without noticing: arrive on time, do not talk over each other, look up when someone speaks. Video meetings have the same rules, plus a few new ones about microphones, cameras and background noise, and nobody taught them to us. The good news is that a handful of habits cover almost every situation. Here are twelve that small teams appreciate.

1. Arrive a minute early

Joining on time saves everyone from waiting, and joining early gives you a moment to fix a microphone. In PeerFlow meetings you can choose your camera and microphone before you enter, so check them there rather than after everyone else has arrived.

2. Mute when you are not speaking

Keyboards, coffee cups, dogs and traffic are loud to everyone except you. Mute by default in groups of more than three, and unmute to speak.

3. Look into the camera when you speak

It feels odd, but it gives others the feeling of eye contact. Put the window with the faces close to the camera so your eyes are not wandering across the screen.

4. Mind the light

A window behind you turns you into a silhouette. Face the light, not away from it. A lamp behind the screen works well on dark days.

5. Choose a calm background

A tidy wall is enough. You do not need a fancy backdrop, and busy ones distract. Blur is fine, but heavy effects can strain a weak connection.

6. Do not talk over people

Audio delay makes interruptions worse than in real life. Leave a short gap before answering. If two of you start at once, one steps back with a smile.

7. Use the chat sensibly

The meeting chat is good for links, quick questions and thanks. Do not type long arguments there while someone is speaking. Move complicated points to the spoken discussion.

8. Be present

Closing other windows and silencing notifications is the online version of putting your phone away. People can tell when you are reading something else.

9. Share your screen with care

Before presenting, close private tabs, mute notifications and pick the window you want to show, not the whole desktop. Tell people what you are about to share. When you finish, stop sharing so people see faces again. See the guide on presenting your screen like a pro.

10. Respect the clock

Start on time, end on time. If a meeting is running long, ask people whether they can stay, and let those who cannot leave without fuss.

11. Ask before you record

Tell everyone if you are going to record, and why. Some people are uncomfortable on video, and in many places consent is a legal matter. Share recordings only with people who need them.

12. Be kind about life happening

Children walk in, pets bark, internet fails. Take it with good humour. A team that tolerates small interruptions is a team people like working in.

A one-page summary

For hosts

The person running the meeting sets the tone. Say hello to each arrival, explain the plan, ask for mute when needed and thank people at the end. If you use a waiting room, admit people promptly and let late arrivals in without a fuss. Our article on running a good online meeting has a routine for the whole thing.

Be kind to bandwidth

Not everyone has a fast connection. Allow people to switch the camera off if the audio breaks up, since good sound matters more than good video. If you are the one with the slow connection, say so at the start of the call.

Put it into practice

Pick two or three habits and share them with your team. Once they feel normal, add more. You can try them in your next meeting by starting one from the PeerFlow app.