Editorial
When our working lives moved online five years ago, the new work patterns afforded a glimpse into the lives of our colleagues as never before. The ubiquitous video calls provided us with a literal window into the home lives of our peers — and has since prompted an exploration of the right kind of backdrop for our calls.
For instance, research from the University of Durham found that our background has a clear impact on how others perceive us. For instance, when we have a bookcase in the background, we're viewed as more trustworthy, while those of us with living rooms or funny pictures in the background were viewed as less competent.
“This research shows how our Zoom backgrounds can affect the first impressions we make,” the authors explained. “If you want to come across as trustworthy and competent there are some backgrounds you should use and some you should definitely avoid.”
Why Online Meetings Tire Us Out
Backgrounds may also impact our fatigue levels, according to research from the Nanyang Technological University. This finding is a variation on the concept of "zoom fatigue," which came to the fore during the pandemic. At the time Stanford research confirmed what many of us felt — large amounts of screen time can drain our energy levels.
The Stanford researchers argued that excessive amounts of eye contact up-close is unnatural and therefore extremely draining. The difference between a video meeting and an in-person meeting is that when in-person, we typically cast our gaze around, whether to look elsewhere, take notes or, of course, to look at our colleague. On Zoom, however, we tend to make eye contact the majority of the time, hence the fatigue.
The Singaporean researchers wanted to understand whether our backgrounds can impact this phenomenon at all. They found that different backgrounds contribute to Zoom fatigue more than others, with virtual backgrounds the worst culprits, especially compared to those of us who blur out our backgrounds.
Choosing a Video Background? Go Au Naturale
The researchers quizzed several hundred participants on the kinds of virtual backgrounds they used. Some used static images, others used blurred images and some used none at all.
They also measured the levels of fatigue respondents experienced while using video conferencing across a range of measures, including visual, motivational, emotional and social fatigue. All of the participants worked at home for approximately three days per week.
The results found that backgrounds are far from equal when it comes to tiring people out, with video backgrounds the most exhausting. Even blurred backgrounds are tiring, however, which may be worth remembering as this remains a common default. This may not be an issue for an isolated call, but if the call is longer, it could result in unnecessary fatigue.
"Our brains automatically react to new information in the environment. This consumes cognitive resources, which then increases cognitive load and consequently leads to [fatigue]," the authors explained.
A Walk in the Park
The amount of new information we have to process correlates with the level of fatigue we feel. The backgrounds people use typically contain a degree of new information, but they allow us to shift our attention elsewhere over time. The researchers believe that blurred backgrounds don't really do that, but nonetheless provide a slight glimpse of the real environment.
By contrast, video backgrounds are always providing new information, so are a constant source of distraction and therefore constantly drain our mental reserves.
The study also found that the type of background also influences the fatigue levels of users, with nature-themed backgrounds generally better than more artificial or man-made backgrounds. The researchers believe this could be because those backgrounds encourage users to place themselves in those kinds of settings, which are generally stress-inducing and therefore tire us out. This is born out by studies showing that a walk in nature can help us feel more energized at work.
One Small Step Towards Better Video Calls
The researchers believe their findings provide a useful starting point to improve video call experiences and help users make better decisions. These insights could be especially helpful for people who frequently use video calls for work, allowing them to protect their well-being while getting the most out of this way of communicating.
That said, the authors call for more research to explore how age and the purpose of the call affect the link between virtual backgrounds and eye strain. Also, given how often users focus on their own image during calls, the effect of other people’s backgrounds on eye strain needs further study.
"A more comprehensive understanding of the role of virtual backgrounds in videoconferencing could provide more targeted recommendations for future research and practice," they conclude.
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Editor's Note: Want more tips on improving online meetings? Read on:
- How to Manage Difficult Behavior in Online Meetings — Problematic behavior isn't exclusive to virtual meetings, but it is trickier to handle. Here are four common disruptors and how to best manage them.
- Zoom Fatigue Continues, 3 Years Later. How Some Businesses Are Responding — Our overreliance on video calls has an impact, and reducing it requires cultural change.
- Don't Leave Teamwork to Chance. Why Collaboration Design Matters — Here’s how to make collaboration a teachable and repeatable practice.
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