For people who work remotely, the freedom and flexibility can be a life-changer. Working from home makes it easy to navigate family life, and not having a commute can save you countless hours every month. However, one part of remote work a lot of people would love to avoid is having meetings via webcam, whether on Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet.
Not everyone is comfortable having a camera in their face, and they can feel anxious about staring at themselves on video for long stretches of time. Some also worry about coworkers being able to see inside their homes. But it’s important for workers ot have their cameras on so they can see each other’s facial expressions; after all, body language is a huge part of communication. Employers think it’s important, too.
A survey from Vyopta, a software company, found that 92% of executives say that those who keep their cameras off do not have a long-term future at the company.
Anxious woman wins big victory for remote workers
Those who feel uncomfortable being on camera in work meetings now have something to cheer about. Laura Tait, a woman in the UK who suffers from anxiety, recently won a complaint with an employment tribunal and will be awarded damages after her employer made her appear on camera in a meeting.
Tait had been working from home as a travel consultant, selling insurance policies for Holiday Extras, since June 2021. In April 2022, she asked the company if she could transition to primarily doing online chats because the voice calls, which were 80% of her job, were causing her “absences related to her anxiety.” But a new manager told her that “she could not be scheduled more chats and emails than average due to fairness and workloads,” but her bosses would “absolutely try and put her on chats/emails every week where possible.”
She asked to have her camera off; her boss refused
Tait requested that the company provide several “reasonable adjustments,” or accommodations to her workload, including the ability to join meetings with her camera off. However, in August of 2023, she asked to have her camera off for a training because she felt anxious. But her manager refused.
“She was asked to start with it on and to see how she went. However, she was not able to cope, and so she was told that was fine and to log off,” a UK Employment Tribunal held in Croydon said. “She was asked to start with it on and to see how she went.
Tait then filed a complaint with the tribunal, claiming she was discriminated against because she was forced to appear on camera, and the judge sided with her. “Nonetheless, we take the view that the adjustment was reasonable and should have been put in place from 24 August 2023,” Employment Judge Liz Ord said, according to The Daily Mail, adding that Tait had “substantial disadvantages in the workplace” because the company didn’t make reasonable accommodations.
The tribunal ruled that companies that demand that employees appear on camera even though it could make them feel overwhelmed or anxious are guilty of discrimination.
Ms. Tait’s compensation will be decided at a later date.
