Ten months ago, we walked into boardrooms in large buildings with cafeterias on the first floor, and sat in comfortable chairs at long conference tables to conduct business with one another.
For the past ten months, we've used personal laptops to squeeze into a corner of our bedroom because our spouse, who is also working from home, is using the dining room table, and our twelve-year-old is attending school from the laundry room! We make sure to position the camera so it doesn’t capture the clothes on the floor in the frame or the dog bed before we log on.
What happened?!?
Working from home, we have all learned how to do what we need to do. However, understanding that we’re going to continue to work this way for a while, it’s time to think differently about your space.
This is part one of two articles in which I’ll offer you some ways to not only create a space that exudes professionalism while working remotely, but also how to make that space look like you’re sitting in a studio no matter what your budget!
Here are five things that every remote worker must do to make sure their professionalism is coming through.
DO THIS: Become more aware. Many of our days now consist of hopping from one video call to another. Chances are, your main focus has been getting on the call successfully so that the others could see and hear you well enough. For many, that was where the awareness ended. Now that you know you can be seen and heard just fine, I encourage you to become more aware of your background, table, or desk and decide what little changes you can make to improve your “office.” Your environment dictates how you show-up as a professional. Remember, others are not only seeing you, they are also seeing what’s on your wall, your bookshelf, or the rest of the room behind you.
HOW TO DO IT: First, take a screenshot of yourself while on a video call, and see what everyone else sees. Look at the picture and decide what you need to change. Are there things in the background that are distracting? Does anything you see look a little “too casual” to be there for a work call? If it looks messy, what can you tidy up a bit? Is it too bland? If so, think about simply adding a plant or a picture behind you. Do you know about Zoom backgrounds? If not, Google them! You may be able to put a simple, clean scene behind you without having to do much more.
DO THIS: Light yourself better. Lighting makes a HUGE difference in your presence. It is impossible to look professional, credible, or trustworthy if other people cannot see your face! Whether it’s natural light or from a lamp, make sure others can see you.
HOW TO DO IT: I understand that, if others in your home are working or attending school remotely, you each need to find separate space, and that can be a challenge. But take a “tour” of your own home from a lighting perspective. Walk around and see what your face looks like in different areas of your home. What you are looking for is a place where your face is easy to see...not too dark and not washed out. You can do this “walk-around” with your laptop, tablet, or phone camera and see your lighting options in ‘real-time.’ You will know what works the moment you see it! If you sit facing a window, you often have natural light at its best (but keep in mind that your light will change throughout the day as the sun moves and it eventually starts to get darker). If not, make sure there is no glaring light behind you (like a window or lamp), and put a lamp in front of you. Experiment with lighting; it can often be improved with some small shifts.
DO THIS: Don’t forget that you are on camera!!! It’s so easy to forget this part! The funny part is, when we were doing all of our work in person, we did things like wear appropriate clothes (especially pants!), didn’t get up and move around the room while we were talking, and had our water or coffee ready to go at the start of the meeting.
HOW TO DO IT: Beginning immediately, treat every remote video call as if it were an in-person meeting. Get your drink ready and have it with you before you begin, once you sit down...stay put, and wear clothes that show people you are a professional if others were to see them.
DO THIS: Frame yourself better. If all I can see is your face (and sometimes even up your nose!), you feel as if you are “in my personal space.” We can also see every movement you make as if you are on an IMAX movie screen. It becomes distracting very quickly.
HOW TO DO IT: Take a moment before you start the call to sit back and adjust your camera to see more of you. Ideally, you want just a little bit of ‘head-room’ (the space between the top of your head and the top of the frame) and you want to have some of your body in the frame (think from the chest up). Think about how much of a person you can see when you are watching a newscast or sitting across the table from a person...that is what you’re aiming for.
DO THIS: Don't be a distraction. Everything you do and every noise you make comes across the screens and speakers of everyone else on the call, and it can pull people’s attention toward you for all the wrong reasons.
HOW TO DO IT: Prepare your space BEFORE you get started. Get what you need for the meeting so you don’t have to get up and walk away. If you do need to walk away, turn off your camera until you are back in your seat. That also allows you to be present, which will increase your professionalism - the only time others see you on the screen, you are grounded and attentive. If you have pets, it’s one thing to introduce them once, it’s another thing to have your cat or guinea pig walking all over your keyboard and across the screen constantly during meetings! If you have any noise in the background (barking dog, kids, landscapers), use the mute feature while it is present. Manage your own distractions so you can be present and not create distractions for others.
I think we can all agree that it’s time to make our space more professional, for both ourselves and for others. While you might be tight on space or be sharing those spaces with others who are in the same boat as you are, some little shifts can create your own space that not only makes you feel good, but allows you to show-up like the professional that you are.
As a professional who does a lot of presenting, I have learned a lot about how to ‘up my game’ when you need to show-up as a presenter or leader on a virtual platform. In my second article on this topic, I’ll share some of my discoveries with you about how to do that for yourself, whether you have a $100 budget or a $1,000 budget! Stay tuned!
