15 most annoying things people do on Zoom calls, according to a new survey

It’s safe to assume that nearly every remote worker has suffered Zoom fatigue at some point during the pandemic. Now, we’re starting to understand the drivers behind the burnout — and what really ticks people off about endless video conferences.

New research from VPNoverview looked at how more than 1,000 American workers feel about virtual meetings and, generally speaking, they’re anxious, worried about their appearance, and exhausted.

What drives workers crazy about video calls

Weekly, recurring video meetings are bad enough when you see the reminder on your calendar, but nothing irks workers more than a poor internet connection.

From leadership down to entry-level employees, 44% of respondents to a survey said that having bad WiFi is their biggest pet peeve when it comes to video conferencing. More than a third of participants had a slew of complaints, including too many people in one room for everyone to talk (37%); constantly being interrupted (35%); eating food while on a call (34%), not paying attention (33%), and not muting oneself when you’re not talking (33%).

Others were especially critical of their co-workers’ surroundings. Nearly a quarter said a messy room or distracting background bothered, while 20% said animal cameos weren’t cute, but distracting.

Commenting on your co-worker’s background during a Zoom call can be considered a form of bullying and it’s important for managers to let employees know that office conduct is extended to remote work.

Your workplace social isn’t cool

In an effort to keep teams together during the pandemic, companies started rolling around virtual happy hours where employees, after completing the week and getting done with an 8-hour workday, were expected to now sit in front of a screen and mingle virtually for another hour or more.

For nearly a third of workers, these workplace socials didn’t make them feel closer to their coworkers; it created anxiety that wasn’t needed.

Overall, remote workers said they experience more anxiety during virtual meetings compared to on-site interactions, 38% to 21%, respectively. However, events that occurred virtually matched anxiety readings of those done in-person, including 1-on-1 meetings, speaking with clients, and group meetings.

According to the data, interviews were less anxiety-inducing virtually than in person.

How do you define exhausting?

On average, 49% of respondents said they spent 3 to 10 hours each week on calls for work. It’s leaving workers feeling fatigued — especially managers and leaders.

Respondents in the survey said the most exhausting part of video calls is the inability to change position and the necessity of staring at the screen. And 12% said they were just tired of trying to stay engaged.

Tips to create a better experience

Instead of hopping on another call to address the problems with your meetings, try sending an email; 35% of respondents said more than half of their video calls could be emails.

More than a quarter said that encouraging workers to turn off their camera when possible helped, while others called for more gaps between meetings, breaks between meetings, and limiting back-to-back video calls.