After months of “Sheltering In Place” in San Diego, most of us are used to working remotely. While enjoying additional time at home with our families, not to mention our afternoon Peloton sessions between Zoom meetings, this “new normal” has started to take shape. We have learned the importance of adhering to a schedule, and realized what a luxury it is to stay in LuLuLemon attire all day. Jokes aside, one of the biggest takeaways from this global pandemic, for corporations, is the realization that employees CAN do their jobs from home! Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook Founder and CEO, claimed that at least 50 percent of his 45,000 employees could start working from home in the next five to ten years. Jack Dorsey, Twitter CEO, sent out an email to all of his 5,000 employees, letting them know that they could work from home “FOREVER!” While some offices are beginning to open in our area, it has become clear, due to all that has transpired over the past few months, that it is essential to have a ZOOM ROOM! What is a Zoom Room you might ask?!
Zoom Room (Noun): A fancy word for home office, dedicated to “Zoom” video calls, with great lighting and lack of background noise (Gaining popularity during the 2020 Global Pandemic).
That being said, from Zoom Etiquette to aesthetically pleasing backdrops, here is a detailed list instructing all of you: HOW TO Put The “BOOM” In Your Zoom Room!
RADIATE With A “Ring Light!”
Since the sensation of the “selfie,” many inventions have come to LIGHT about how to create the best illumination to spotlight how we look through a lens. Now, with Zoom calls being the focal point for our daily face-to-face meetings, it is time to invest in something that will make you shine, literally. Why blend in, when we were born to stand out?! Even with the best LED light bulbs, typically the lighting on our web cams looks dull, leaving us looking overshadowed. Here, to brighten up our day is the Ring Light, available in floor stand or mini desk stand versions to fit the needs of any Zoom Room.
Make Your Backdrop POP
On the topic of all things aesthetically pleasing, do NOT set up a light and bright Ring Light for a boring backdrop. Make the space behind you “POP,” and be the one to stand out during your Zoom meeting. For best results, have your desk facing out against a wall, and make that blank space behind you your own. There are many options of how to professionally yet creatively cover the wall, to dazzle everyone during your video call. Hang a beautiful piece of art and pot a large leafy plant, or decorate a modern shelf with branded trinkets and appealing office items. “WOW” your co-workers and clients with an eye-catching Zoom Room!
Zoom Etiquette
Just as there are proper tableside manners, there is a set of standards for Zoom etiquette as well. We all understand that no one is perfect, however it is good to be aware of these unsaid terms, and use them whenever able. First, it is typically best to mute yourself if you are not speaking, to limit feedback and background noise for the rest of the group. If you have a poor connection on a meeting, politely leave the call and join back in; no need to cause a major interruption! Standard professionalism applies of course, so wait for others to finish speaking before jumping in. Essentially, treat the Zoom meeting as if it is happening in person. NO TEXTING, BE ON TIME, be present, and have your Nespresso made before it starts.
Say “HELLO” To Screen Share
Make your Zoom feel like a real life round table conference with the Screen Share feature! If you want to show a PowerPoint presentation, share an important graph or document or essentially anything on your computer screen with the rest of the group; this is the perfect tool to do so. That being said, if you do decide to share your screen, make sure that you do not have a plethora of other tabs open on your screen, as it can be very distracting. The rule of thumb on this one is, if you do not want it shared with the rest of the group, close it on your screen before sharing!
Friendly Tips
To best utilize Zoom, we will leave you with two very important tips. If you are the “host” of your weekly team Zoom meeting, you can create a URL for recurring meetings. Make it easy for yourself; instead of sending out a new link every week, give everyone on your team the recurring URL, which can be used each time to enter the Zoom Room. And lastly, everyone’s favorite feature should be the “SET REMINDER” function, which sends you an email of the URL to join the Zoom 15 minutes prior. This way, you are ready to go when it is time to start, and you have a few minutes to get comfortable and have your coffee next to you. HAPPY ZOOMING!