If there’s one thing the world’s workforce has learned over the last few months, it’s that video calling isn’t as simple as we imagined it to be. For many of us, we’re attending our first webinars, online meetings and virtual hangouts with our colleagues, with mixed results.

Put simply, it’s a minefield of etiquette, best practice and social graces which has resulted in plenty of easily avoidable mistakes. Mistakes, we should add, that can do a lot more than making us look a little silly.

Here are the top five video chat mistakes that you simply can’t afford to make.

Leaving Your Microphone On

Let’s start with a classic - leaving the microphone on. Of course, we all know that video conferencing isn’t like being sat in the same room, so you can be forgiven for having a word with a family member or answering a vital phone call.

The problem is that pesky microphone recording every word you say. It’s a privacy nightmare, and without a little awareness, you might find yourself caught out saying something you regret.

The fix for this one is simple, just remember to turn off your microphone when you’re not speaking!

Sharing Your Screen With Valuable Information on It

One of the biggest advantages that video conferencing brings to the business world is the ability to quickly and easily share what’s on our screens with everyone else. In a world where the majority of our work is done on computer screens, it’s a real positive.

However, it’s more than just our work we do on our screens. Everything from curiosity Google searches to tabs with classified information are visible if they’re on screen when you share with your workmates, creating a potentially awkward situation.

That’s why you should always check your window carefully before you share it with your team - you’ll be glad you did!

Sharing Photographs of Your Meetings Online

Now, we’re not calling out anyone in particular, Boris Johnson, but a trend has arisen of people tweeting out pictures of their video calls. Needless to say, it’s not a smart move.

Popular video conferencing solutions like Zoom require a meeting ID number to join - one that’s visible on screen - and sharing pictures of that meeting means that it’s possible for anyone with a supported device to dial in to your call.

With so many vital, highly confidential meetings being held across the world, it’s crucial that your private information is kept that way - no matter how proud you are of your meeting - so keep your meeting pictures off social media.

Not Warning Your Cohabitors That You’re on a Call

We’re all in this together and, for many of us, that means family and cohabitors spending our time under the same roof. It’s a tricky situation, but one that we have no choice but to handle.

If you don’t have a dedicated office space where you can focus solely on your work, it’s crucial that you let the people you’re sharing a space with know that you’re going to be on a call.

We’ve seen plenty of widely shared incidents of unwitting people wandering into compromised positions, so take the time to ask for a little privacy.

Not Securing Your Call

You’d make sure the door was shut before holding a private meeting, wouldn’t you? Therefore, it goes without saying that you should lock your video call to stop individuals from joining without permission.

Whether you’re using Google Hangouts, Zoom, Skype or any other video conferencing tool, you’ll find a range of security features that mean only those who are invited get access to the call.

Whilst video conferencing etiquette is increasingly important, it’s not the only area of cyber security you need to consider as an organisation.

Our innovative virtual cyber security awareness courses are designed to offer real, actionable advice in fun, short and unique animations - so why wait? Book a web demonstration today and start reducing your risk of cyber crime within just 48 hours.