Strategies For Keeping Video Calls Inclusive

The captions, faces, and my bionic ear help me listen better. But, sometimes I run into people who don't have their cameras on while speaking on a video call. And that's OK. A person with low vision says that having the camera on is awkward because she views the screen closely. As a result, the video shows only her forehead or nose. Some people who are blind say they don't want to worry about camera placement. I talked to two people with Tourette Syndrome. One says she keeps her camera off to prevent misinterpretation of her facial expression and body language. Another has the camera on so people can see the difference between a tic and what he says. For some, being on camera triggers clinical anxiety that goes beyond discomfort. Of course, I don't want someone experiencing these to turn on the camera for me. I can rely on the automatic captions. Those with the camera off need to know that autocraptions may not capture what they say correctly. Work around it by using the chat box. (Hopefully, there's one and it's accessible.) Please skip animated backgrounds on calls. I was speaking at an event where someone had an animated background that distracted me. I couldn't block their window, so I put a sticky note over it! I also do that for anyone who is moving around a lot. If someone needs to move around, I recommend camera-off until they speak. And avoid moving around while speaking. Lipreading and motion do not go well together! There's another group that needs to be aware of this. Sign language interpreters who are voicing for a signer. I know the interpreters keep their cameras off to spotlight the signer. I get that. Just know that it creates an accessibility problem for lipreaders who depend on autocraptions. I've had meetings where I missed what the signer said because the autocraptions failed. Isn't it more important we understand what the signer says than for the interpreter to stay behind the scenes with the camera off? Listening to others is important. But when I rely on autocraptions alone, it takes away my ability to comprehend what someone says. It's as bad as an in-person meeting where I miss words, especially from people hard to lipread. This is why it's so important to offer multiple ways of communicating. Doing this ensures communication is inclusive. The default doesn't always work for everyone. Simply be respectful, be kind, be flexible. 🔔 Tap the silent profile bell to catch the next post 🎤 If you're thinking about having me speak or work with your organization, please contact me. 👉 Follow #MerylMots to find my content #Accessibility #Inclusion #Communication Image: Video call with black screen and current "Speaker" on screen who has camera-off with autocraptions that say "Both the mail. I am showing. Pm people to show the problem with that."

Hybrid Meetings ≠ Inclusive Meetings. I’ve lived it - and here’s 5 practical tips to ensure everyone has a voice, regardless of location. I spent more than 10,000 hours in hybrid meetings while as a remote leader for The Clorox Company. I was often the 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 remote attendee - while the rest of the group sat together in a conference room at HQ. Here’s what I learned the hard way: 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲... ...by showing who gets heard, who feels seen, and who gets left out. If you're leading a distributed or hybrid team, how you structure your meetings sends a loud message about what (and who) matters. 𝟱 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝘆𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: 1️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 – who will actively combat distance bias and invite input from all meeting members 2️⃣ 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗿 – to monitor the chat and the raised hands, to launch polls and to free up the facilitator to focus on the flow 3️⃣ 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗴 𝗶𝗻 - so that there is equal access to the chat, polls, and reactions 4️⃣ 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗱𝘆 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 – pair remote team members with in-room allies to help make space in the conversation and ensure they can see and hear everything 5️⃣ 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘂𝗽 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 – be ready with a Plan B for audio, video, or connectivity issues in the room 𝘞𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳? 𝗧𝗿𝘆 𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹-𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. If even one person is remote, have everyone log in from their own device from their own workspace to create a level playing field. 🔗 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 for creating location-inclusive distributed teams in this Nano Tool I wrote for Wharton Executive Education: https://lnkd.in/eUKdrDVn #LIPostingDayApril

Someone recently asked me, “How do you make sure everyone feels heard in virtual meetings, especially when some voices tend to dominate?” Here’s what I’ve found works: ✅ Set Expectations – I always start by encouraging open dialogue and making sure everyone knows their input is valuable. This simple step sets the tone for inclusivity. 🔄 Rotate Speaking – I make a conscious effort to rotate speaking opportunities, ensuring everyone has a chance to contribute. 📊 Use Tools – Polls, chat features, or hand-raising tools can help quieter team members participate without feeling put on the spot. 🤝 Break into Smaller Groups – If the group is large, smaller breakouts foster more comfortable discussions where everyone feels more at ease to speak. 🎯 Direct Invitations – If someone hasn’t had the chance to chime in, I’ll gently ask for their thoughts. A simple invitation can unlock valuable perspectives. These approaches have helped me create more inclusive conversations where all voices are heard. How do you make space for everyone in your meetings? #Teamwork #InclusiveMeetings #VirtualMeetings