Why You Should Think beyond Zoom

Zoom became synonymous with virtual events as the pandemic set in and people were locked in their houses. While it is a widely used platform, Zoom does not get everything right. On the contrary, Zoom lacks many things that make for a great virtual event platform.

Zoom fatigue is now a real word that refers to the physical and psychological fatigue that video conferencing platforms bring in. Research has indicated that there are many factors in the design of such platforms that makes Zoom fatigue a real issue.

However, Zoom is not a standalone public enemy here. Most video conferencing platforms that have emerged during and after the pandemic make the same mistakes. Very few platforms have come up with innovative techniques that make video conferencing less fatiguing. Let’s find out more about what Zoom gets wrong and what you do about it.

You do not need to be in sync all the time

Video conferencing platforms are of two types – synchronous and asynchronous. Asynchronous meeting platforms are way more uncommon than synchronous platforms. However, research is steadily pointing towards the fact that continuous synchronous interaction over the internet can be very stressful.

When we talk to others face-to-face, we pick up cues from their facial expressions, gestures, body language, and other non-verbal cues. With video conferencing, you cannot do any of that. As a result, you need to pay close attention to everything that’s being said. Doing that for long stretches of time can be very stressful, for your eyes, mind, and even your body.

Until video conferencing platforms realise the importance and necessity of asynchronous connectivity (which very few have), this will continue to be a problem.

You do not want to see yourself while you are talking

It is an especially pertinent problem for those who suffer from confidence issues. Apart from that, it is generally not good for anyone to continuously see your own face while talking. When we talk to others, we are focusing solely on them and do not care about what we look like while saying certain things. With Zoom meetings, it is impossible to do so. Your face will always pop up in a small box in a corner.

Think of it like someone holding a mirror in front of you every time you talk. Keeping your camera off is not an option for many of us. Zoom and similar video conferencing platforms do not have any features to solve this issue.

Synchronous meetings restrict movement

The importance of physical mobility cannot be overstated. In a regular office meeting, we often travel from one room to another or take small breaks to have a chat with the coworkers, and so on. In a nutshell, we do move around, even if it is nothing substantial.

With video conferencing platforms, there is nothing you can do to reduce daily meetings. While we sit in front of a screen, our natural urge to move around minimises. In the long run, it can be very harmful to your physical health.

A viable alternative is to leave video and voice notes for work as and when you can. It promotes mobility and discourages you from sitting at the same place for hours.

Virtual events with Zoom are a nightmare

When you hear audio from another person after a delay of a few seconds, it can break the flow of any conversation. Zoom is notorious for posing such problems during important virtual events. With every speaker having a different internet speed, it is a very common problem. Nonetheless, it ends up breaking the flow of any event or meeting.

Conclusion

Zoom, with all its issues, is no longer the go-to choice for conducting video conferences and virtual events. Today we have smarter platforms like Event Anywhere that come with all the remote working tools you need in a revolutionary asynchronous meeting platform. With more innovative platforms coming into the market, Zoom fatigue will soon become a thing of the past.