Working from home is here to stay: Make the most of it

Rene Buhay, VP Sales & Marketing of AVer Europe, gives some advice for upgrading your home working video conferencing experience…

When the pandemic hit Europe earlier this year and people were forced to abandon offices and work from home many were forced to compromise, using sub-standard tech, in the belief that “it will only be for a few weeks and then we’ll be back in the office.”

That was four months ago and for the majority working from home will continue for the foreseeable future. As remote working is the new normal and permanent for some, people are looking to maximise the use of technology and make their home work environment as slick as possible. Many firms are giving employees allowances to equip their home offices to a high specification.

Home-workers should have a comfortable and professional environment. One potential pitfall of working from home can be the video conference. Dress as if you were in a meeting; it might be alright to wear your pyjamas  for a phone call but it creates quite a stir if you wear it on a video call. Don’t be caught out by thinking “It’s only a voice call” as you may be called onto visual at any time. If what you expected to be a voice call turns visual you don’t want to be caught with your pants down, or your pyjamas on.

Use a good quality video camera, don’t struggle with your low-quality laptop camera and muffled sound quality. An affordable, professional-looking video camera such as the AVer CAM340+ is perfect for a home working environment, create your professional feel with an ultra-wide field of vision and superior sound quality.

Pay attention to the background for your video conferencing. Have the room behind you clean and tidy, notice what pictures may be on the wall and if you have a bookcase on show make sure that it’s not a distraction for the viewer. Ensure you have good lighting, that people can see you properly and hear you clearly. A small investment now in a good quality video conferencing camera will pay great dividends in making you look and sound professional.

Make sure you leave your pyjamas in the bedroom where they belongs and not hanging on the door behind you.