Cultural issues: 3/4 of knowledge workers don't want desktop video

According to a survey of 5,498 knowledge workers by Forrester Research, a whopping 72% don't want desktop video at work.  With the cutbacks in travel budgets, this study caught my eye because virtual teams are feeling the pain of little to no face-to-face team time.

According to research by Kate Listler, approximately 63-88 million people work remotely some or all of the time. (http://undress4success.com/research/telecommuting-statistics/)  One would think that they would eagerly embrace desktop video from their remote locations.

Most people would credit the resistance to privacy issues.  People want to keep their private space at home out of the view of others at work.  These same poeple, however, eagerly use video with distant friends and family.

I believe that the main reason that resist desktop video at work is also to control their virtual presence--the image they convey to others in the business remotely.  Take Margie who said that she runs for an hour at lunch.  When the 1 pm meeting comes around, she doesn't want anyone to see her in her running clothes, without makeup, and with hair that is not groomed for a business meeting with others on the team that she doesn't know well.

When I work from my home office and have a web conference meeting with clients, I do project a very professional image.  I make sure that my image is 100% professional.  My hair and makeup are just right.  I'm wearing a suitcoat and jewelery appropriate for business.  But if the camera were to pan out more (which it doesn't), one might also find that I am wearing shorts or jeans because I am working from home.

Let's face it.  The business office in general has become much more casual.  Compared to how many people groom at home, however, the home office is substantially less casual--at a level that some want to shield.  Virtual teams need to decide how they want to handle desktop video.  With severe cutbacks in travel, the video is an important way that many virtual teams create their working bond with one another.

To read more about the Forester study, go to http://www.conferencingnews.com/news/34862

Posted by Jaclyn Kostner, Ph.D., Bridge the Distance.  http://www.distance.com/