Share

FaceTime

It’s been just about 500 days since we dragged our monitor home, fiddled with the USB-Cs and HDMIs and began the work-from-home experience. While we’ve drifted in and out of lockdown, the video call has become a daily exercise for the modern worker. From the morning stand up-to million-dollar negotiations, is it the best way to do business?

Why has video overtaken voice and text communication seemingly instantly? Sure, innovations like Zoom and Google Meet help, but studies have shown that video comms aren’t necessarily the best option. Despite mass adoption, video communication not only leads to fatigue but can degrade our ability to make effective business decisions.

Research from Yale suggests video “adds cognitive load” which shifts our attention to recognising facial expression and interpreting body language rather than understanding the verbal message being delivered.

Moreover, voice-only calls enhance our ability to read emotions. Across 5 different experiments, researchers found voice-only communication increased empathetic accuracy compared to video comms. On a real, even if anecdotal basis, it is far more efficient too. A phone call will last 2 minutes whereas a video call stretches for half an hour with a scheduled meeting time and agenda.

There’s more. Zoom Fatigue is a real concept. The hours on end staring at a face in the screen has proper impacts on our interactions. It’s primarily unnatural. Normal conversation allows for diversion, the ability to opt away from direct eye contact, make a note, use your hands. Video calls require almost full-time eye contact, which is proven to exhaust participants. Extended periods of magnified face-to-face contact can lead to a “hyper-aroused state” as explained by Stanford’s research team. In the real world, staring a colleague in the eyes so intensely signifies conflict.

Sign up to Stake

Want more?

You know what to do

Insights, trends and company deep dives delivered straight to your inbox.


Stake logo
Over 7,000 5-star reviews
App Store logoGoogle Play logo

Subscribe to our free newsletters

By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy.

Stakeshop Pty Ltd, trading as Stake, ACN 610105505, is an authorised representative (Authorised Representative No. 1241398) of Stakeshop AFSL Pty Ltd (Australian Financial Services Licence no. 548196). Stake SMSF Pty Ltd (‘Stake Super’) is not licensed to provide financial product advice under the Corporations Act. This specifically applies to any financial products which are established if you instruct Stake Super to set up a self managed super fund (‘SMSF’). When you sign up to Stake Super, you are contracting with Stake SMSF Pty Ltd who will assist in the establishment of a SMSF under a ‘no advice model’. You will also be referred to Stakeshop Pty Ltd to enable your trading account and bank account to be set up in order to use the Stake Website and/or App. For more information about SMSFs, see our SMSF Risks page. The information on our website or our mobile application is not intended to be an inducement, offer or solicitation to anyone in any jurisdiction in which Stake is not regulated or able to market its services. At Stake and Stake Super, we’re focused on giving you a better investing experience but we don’t take into account your personal objectives, circumstances or financial needs. Any advice given by Stake is of a general nature only. As investments carry risk, before making any investment decision, please consider if it’s right for you and seek appropriate taxation and legal advice. Please view our Financial Services GuideTerms & ConditionsPrivacy Policy and Disclaimers before deciding to invest on or use Stake or Stake Super. By using our website or service in any way, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions. All financial products involve risk and you should ensure you understand the risks involved as certain financial products may not be suitable to everyone. Past performance of any product described on this website is not a reliable indication of future performance. Stake and Stake Super are registered trademarks in Australia.

Copyright © 2024 Stake. All rights reserved.