A new study reveals that turning off the camera during an online meeting can reduce Zoom Fatigue, which is fatigue from continuing to hold online meetings for a long time.
According to a study conducted by the University of Arizona's Eller College of Management, turning off the camera during an online meeting can actually make users more productive and less fatigued.
The study was a four-week trial involving 103 participants and more than 1,400 observations. Concludes that the presence of cameras can have an adverse effect on the meeting as a whole.
According to the study authors, this is related to the self-presentation pressure associated with being in front of the camera.
"Having a professional background and looking ready, or keeping kids out of the room are some of the pressures," said Allison Gabriel, McClelland Professor of Management and Organization and one of the study's authors.
"When people have cameras or are asked to keep them on, they report more fatigue than their non-camera counterparts. And that fatigue correlates with less noise and less engagement during meetings," he added.
So, in reality those who have cameras have the potential to participate less than those who don't. This goes against conventional wisdom that cameras are required to be used in virtual meetings.
The study found that the effect was stronger for women and new hires where this may be due to self-presentation problems.
“Women often feel pressure to be perfect with no effort or have a greater chance of parenting disorders, and new employees feel like they have to be in front of the camera and participate in showing productivity,” says Gabriel.
He also suggested that instead of expecting employees to keep their cameras on during online meetings, they should be given the autonomy to choose whether or not to use their cameras and employees should not make assumptions about camera interruption or productivity.
"Ultimately, we want employees to feel independent and supported in the workplace to be at their best. Having autonomy in using cameras is another step in that direction," he said.
This research has been published in the Journal of Applied Psychology.
