By Kristine Catimbang, OSHAcademy Training Coordinator
Have you ever reached the end of a video meeting and felt drained? If so, you have probably experienced Zoom fatigue (or webinar fatigue.) People have been feeling webinar fatigue from being on video calls more than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic. People began to report Zoom fatigue as early as April 2020.
Zoom fatigue can be caused by several different factors (Ramachandran, 2021). here are a few of the most common factors:
- The amount of eye contact can be intense.
- The size of faces on screens is unnatural.
- Constantly seeing yourself in real-time can be exhausting.
- Video calls reduce our usual mobility.
- Video calls cause a higher cognitive load because of the differences between video calls and in-person face-to-face communication.
Other factors such as being in lockdown, quarantine, or working from home may also contribute to the exhausting feeling of video calls. These factors tied in with Zoom fatigue may contribute to other stressors. Burnout from work may also result form Zoom fatigue and situations caused by the pandemic. Video call platforms are useful tools to communicate and meet with workers during the pandemic. However, the implementation of these platforms in the long run has shown that they can be exhausting. Video calls can require more focus than face-to-face communications (White, 2021). Lack of a decent internet connect or minor delays in video calls may cause people to perceive responders as less friendly or focused. Employees who work from home are experiencing higher levels of exhaustion because of video call meetings.
To reduce exhausting from video calls, employers can limit the video calls to those that are necessary. Workers should not use video calls for informal work conversations. Employers should also be understanding if workers choose not to turn on their camera during group video calls. Giving employees the option of keeping their cameras off may help them feel less anxious and stay more focused during meetings. Some workers have reported that keeping meetings to voice and screen sharing only helps them stay focused and more productive (Virtira, 2021). If keeping the camera on is a company policy, then workers can try having their camera or screen more off to the side, so they do not have it directly in front of them. An ongoing global health crisis does not help with reducing burnout from work, but keeping lines of communication open and a willingness to be flexible in expectations may help employees stay motivated and maintain their well-being.
References
Ramachandran, Vignesh. (February 2021). Stanford Researchers Identify Four Causes for Zoom Fatigue and their Simple Fixes. Retrieved from https://news.stanford.edu/2021/02/23/four-causes-zoom-fatigue-solutions/
Vitira. (April 2021). The Webcam Survey - Exhausted or Engaged. Meeting on Camera During the Pandemic. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3qF0HCV
White, Taneasha. (February 2021). "Zoom Fatigue" is Real - How to Cope (and Make it Through Your Next Meeting.) Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/zoom-fatigue
