How to get great Microsoft Teams video calls when working from home

Video conferencing using Microsoft Teams is a fundamental part of everyone at Generation-e’s day. I thought I’d share some of the things we have learnt so you and your team can get the best video experience when working from home.

Firstly, you need enough internet bandwidth to make sure your call can get through and you can hear and see the other party and they can hear and see you.  We recommend the fastest connection you can afford. In the case of internet bandwidth, size matters. The other thing to be careful of is who else is using your internet connection at the same time. Do you have others sharing the same link watching Netflix or YouTube while you are working?  Apps like these can consume all the available bandwidth not leaving enough for your important work call.

Use a business grade headset like a Jabra Evolve or a Poly Voyager.  If that isn’t an option, do your best to make sure you aren’t going to be adding a lot of noise to the meeting.  Unless you have a high-end device (like a Microsoft Surface) whose microphones are specifically setup for meetings then the standard microphone and speakers in your laptop may not produce a great experience. You may need to turn off your fan, close a window or whatever else you must do to keep your environment quiet.  Sound quality really matters–it is even more important than the video quality. If every time you try to talk there is a distracting buzz or wind sound, it will detract from what you have to say. The sound that you have learned to ignore may be very distracting for someone else Background noise

The mute button is your friend. During a call in Microsoft Teams, you can mute your audio so that you cannot be heard by others.  Become intimately aware of the location of this button and be able to click on it at light speed.

For video think about what kind of background you will show.  For example, bookcases are a good backdrop. With high definition cameras others will see what is behind you so think a little about what you are comfortable with what the world sees about your home life.  Your teammates will see your space unless you blur your background or replace it with a background image.

Make sure you set some work-at-home ground rules so your family knows, and they can work with you. This will make it easier for them and you to get what you need done.

Microsoft Teams allows you to share your screen in a meeting.  This enables you to open that document you’ve been working on all week and collaborate with your team. This connects team members so that they can see what you’re talking about.

Microsoft Teams video conferencing is a marvellous tool that drives business engagement and enables people working outside the traditional office to be important contributors. But also like with traditional meetings, people need a strong, common sense notion of what is and what is not proper in a video conference.

Look up, not down. I can’t tell you how many people stare directly down at their laptop’s camera, nose hairs and all.  No matter how technical they are, most people forget that your eye line matters.  If you’re looking down at your camera, the person you’re calling is looking up at you and it’s not the most flattering view.  If you must use the laptop’s camera, set it up on a stand or few books so that you’re looking slightly up at the web camera.  Not only will this tip make your image look better it will be easier to focus on the conversation instead of the empty space in front of you.

Built-in laptop cameras have come a long way, but external web cameras have come even further.  It is relatively cheap to buy an excellent HD web camera (e.g. Logitech C930 or Brio 4K) that will dramatically sharpen your video. Keep in mind that HD does provider a sharper picture so a quick check of your self-view might mean you want to touch up your appearance before your on-camera appearance since high definition shows a lot of detail. This also goes for your work space. 

Light in front, not in back. If you’re in a room with a window (i.e. natural light), face towards the window as this will ensure that light falls on your face.  Never sit with your back to a window while in a video call unless you also have light on the front of your face to balance things out.  If you’re in a room without a window, dig around for a light that you can place in front of you–even if you only have access to a small lamp.