• Vlyn
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    1 year ago

    Mandatory webcam on calls/meetings. I get that it works for team building when half the developers are at home at any given time, but it exhausts me in meetings.

    You sit there with nothing to say/do while you listen, constantly having to look forward and pay attention. Then your jaw starts to feel tense, but you can’t just open your mouth or move around too much.

    Total torture for 60+ minute meetings. In my previous company we had the webcams always off, so I could relax or if it was only talking with no presentation even sit on my couch away from the PC.

    • Blake [he/him]@feddit.uk
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      1 year ago

      I’m not sure how much of this pressure is from your company or self-driven, but I always keep my webcam on and I don’t give a shit about sitting straight or looking attentive or whatever. Half the time I’m fucking around with stuff in the background. Nobody has ever said anything about it.

      • blindsight@beehaw.org
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        1 year ago

        Agreed. I also frequently turn mine off for a minute or two to grab tea or snacks or whatever. Nobody’s ever said anything. It’s on ~90% of the time.

    • Thelsim@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      What I always do is make sure I have something to fidget with off-screen. Either a little puzzle you can solve without looking or some activity I’ve done a hundred times before. I’ve spend quite a few online meetings doing my nails :)

      • Droechai@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        Set up a small lock pick station just out of sight of the camera and then pick locks by physical feedback :)