Survey Rounds Up Video-Meeting Bloopers

A survey of more than 1,000 Australians working from home due to the pandemic has uncovered the changing face of the workforce in all its unfiltered glory.

Helen Baker from Money.com.au, who conducted the survey, says: “The process of transitioning the ‘office’ online and into our own homes has led to some new, and rather hilarious, office faux pas. Already, this is increasing acceptance of more informal ways of presenting in meetings in many organisations: it’s becoming okay, for instance, for kids to sit on their parent’s lap during a video meeting, or for colleagues to be in their loungewear.”

The survey also found that virtual interactions have helped workers feel more connected to their colleagues than previously, with more than half of respondents stating they learned more about their work colleagues by seeing and speaking to them in their home environments.

The full results of the survey can be found here, but here’s a snapshot of video meeting ‘bloopers’ – common and quirky – Aussie workers made or witnessed:

Being on mute for the entire duration of the call.

An employee forgetting to mute their microphone when yelling at their kids to be quiet.

A colleague’s wife interrupting a video meeting because she needed him to open a pickle jar.

Hearing the toilet of a colleague flush.

An employee picking their nose when they thought their camera was off.

An employee breaking wind when they thought they were on mute. 

Wearing pyjama pants and standing up during a video call.

A colleague’s elderly father wandering past in the background in his underpants.

A colleague’s young daughter interrupting a video meeting to show everyone her drawing.  

An employee having an UBER Eats delivery arrive, while presenting to an audience of 60 people on Skype.