Mental exhaustion from Zoom calls and video conferencing is a unique phenomenon which has seen its peak during the dramatic transition of working from home. Although this created a number of efficiencies in terms of commuting and convenience, studies indicate that many employees are feeling tired and disconnected from their team during zoom calls. Co-working to maintain in-person communication and for a change in environment may be the solution you need.
How common is Zoom fatigue?
Prior to Covid, Zoom’s daily volume of meetings sky rocketed from 10 million in December 2019, to 300 million in April 2020. This statistic was also reflected in the number of employees who worked from home in the US, which jumped from 8.2 percent in February 2020, to 35.2 percent three months later.
A survey by APA PsycNet which totaled 1746 responses, highlighted that 93 percent of participants experienced videoconferencing fatigue which impacted their quality of work overtime. With Zoom exhaustion being at an all-time high it is important to identify how being on video calls effects your personal and professional well-being, and find potential solutions if you’re experiencing any negative impacts.
Factors that cause Zoom fatigue
A study by Science Direct explained that video conferencing has become a crucial tool of communication and as a result has changed the way workers interact with each other.
The research underlined that the patterns of eye gazing and interpersonal distance in video conferences are challenging the norms of communication. During Zoom calls, people often feel forced to maintain constant eye contact with faces which “appear larger on screens”. When keeping this focus for a prolonged period of time with an average meeting size of 10 people, it forms the perception of being stared at and creates additional pressure on the eyes which causes fatigue.
A second unnatural aspect of Zoom communication that adds to fatigue is the need for exaggerated non-verbal communication. While non-verbal forms of communication generally occur naturally without any effort during face-to-face conversation, this basic element is missing whilst videoconferencing. This is evident through motions of exaggerated nodding or smiling to ensure the non-verbal communication is noticed, hence when performed for the average Zoom call duration of 54 minutes it can add to exhaustion levels.
What is co-working and how can it solve Zoom fatigue?
Co-working is a communal membership-based workspace where a diverse group of freelancers, remote workers and other independent professionals can utilise a shared space. Servcorp’s Co-working space can provide the break you need from videoconferencing whilst delivering all the amenities available in a fully serviced office.
Our Co-working space includes bilingual and dedicated receptionist, IT assistance, a local landline number to make free calls and many more services to refresh your mental space.
