Telecommuting Best Practices
Virtual Backgrounds and Meetings
Here are a couple of our recommendations on how to best utilize the remote software when using it to meet with others.
Meeting with Clients
It is strongly recommended that you use the provided PRM-branded backgrounds when meeting with clients or anyone external to the company. These are already pre-loaded onto our RingCentral account if you are using the service and are signed into the app correctly. If you are using another service, you can find them for download on the PAC here:
Internal Meetings
When we meet internally, we have the option to make things a little more fun! You can use an image you like, or depending on the service, even use a video! The way that you can upload will depend on the service you are using. Please see the following articles on how to add a new background:
Meeting Etiquette
Here are some Virtual Meeting Etiquette tips collected from various online sources. Following these guidelines will take your virtual meeting manners to the next level.
- Give yourself 15 minutes to test technology.
- Things happen. Sometimes your microphone doesn't work, or you need to reboot. Give yourself time to work through potential issues, especially if you are working with different devices.
- Virtual Dress Code
- At the very least our top half should look as if you were in the office physically. Its quite easy to be comfortable when meeting remotely, but don’t forget, you are still leaving an impression when you meet virtually!
- Mute and Muffle surrounding noise
- Try to clear out any sources of background noise, such as pets, or even your spouse or kids. Make sure to also mute any background music or videos. The only audio should be from the meeting.
- Shove your clutter in a closet
- A virtual background can’t hide everything! Especially if your background is especially cluttered. Spend some time before hand to make sure your space within view of your camera is clear of anything that makes the space seem less than professional.
- Mute your mic!
- Always start with your microphone muted or try and mute as quickly as possible when entering your meeting to help mitigate any unwanted background noise.
- Speak to the Camera
- This one is tricky. We have a habit of looking at the software when we are actively speaking, since that's where the other people's faces are. Instead, look directly at your webcam: treating it as your "audience" will let you make virtual eye contact with the other meeting attendees.
- Introduce yourself before speaking
- Especially if you enter a meeting after your user/client. This helps not only break the ice, but helps the flow keep consistent while meeting virtually.
- Don’t take your computer with you to the bathroom
- Let’s not become internet famous! Plus, if you invest in a good Bluetooth headset you can do your business without missing anything... Just keep yourself muted, and maybe don't mention anything about it. No one has to know about this.
Tips for Work From Home (WFH) Setups
We also have some extra tips for those who work remotely.
- Invest in Lighting
- Webcams can really struggle to capture an image in low light, and while your home lightning may create relaxing ambience, it may not be ideal. It’s a good idea to try to rearrange your existing lamps or invest in some extra lighting like a ring light.
- Lamps can be the more cost-effective option, since you can potentially rearrange what you have rather than buy anything new.
- Ring lights are considered the gold standard for personal lighting with a webcam, and they don't have to break the bank. Here's one from Amazon that's only $20.
- Webcams can really struggle to capture an image in low light, and while your home lightning may create relaxing ambience, it may not be ideal. It’s a good idea to try to rearrange your existing lamps or invest in some extra lighting like a ring light.
- Distraction-Free Zone
- Make sure to let any family members know that you will be on a call and try to corral any pets so they won't interrupt. Try and make things as distraction free as possible for yourself. When working from home it can be especially difficult to separate yourself from distractions, but it's important to engage with virtual meetings as much as you'd engage with in-person ones.
- Choose the Right Audio Gear
- Investing in good equipment to capture the meeting for you and the other attendees is crucial. We recommend investing in a pair of headphones, or, better yet, a headset with a built-in microphone. Either one of these options will help you eliminate distractions and stay focused on the meeting, even if the environment you're in isn't totally ideal. The directed microphone in a headset will help you sound much better than the one built into your laptop or webcam; these are often low-quality microphones that pick up audio from everywhere in the room. Using a directed microphone, either on its own or as part of a headset, will ensure that when you talk, your voice is the only thing that the other meeting attendees hear.
Here are some good, cost-effective pieces of equipment you can use to step up your audio game:
- Headsets
- Headphones
- Investing in good equipment to capture the meeting for you and the other attendees is crucial. We recommend investing in a pair of headphones, or, better yet, a headset with a built-in microphone. Either one of these options will help you eliminate distractions and stay focused on the meeting, even if the environment you're in isn't totally ideal. The directed microphone in a headset will help you sound much better than the one built into your laptop or webcam; these are often low-quality microphones that pick up audio from everywhere in the room. Using a directed microphone, either on its own or as part of a headset, will ensure that when you talk, your voice is the only thing that the other meeting attendees hear.