Isn't it just good manners to look eye-to-eye when meeting
The weekly leadership meeting begins. Most participants appear on screen — tidy backgrounds, polite smiles, virtual blazers over T-shirts. But one square stays grey. It’s your chief financial officer again, voice crisp, camera off. You hesitate: should you ask him to turn it on, or let it slide?
Across much of Asia, where business culture blends hierarchy with a strong sense of courtesy, that small decision carries more weight than it seems. Visibility can signal respect, yet insisting on it can feel intrusive. So what does the evidence — and good HR sense — actually suggest?
Why cameras still matter
Recent research from Stanford University economist Nicholas Bloom and colleagues at the University of Chicago and ITAM sheds light on how camera use shapes engagement. Their study, Camera Use During Video Calls, found that employees who appeared on screen during smaller, discussion-based meetings were seen as more collaborative and attentive. Managers were more likely to describe them as responsive and trustworthy, and those employees themselves reported stronger connections with their teams.
In other words, turning on the camera can recreate some of the interpersonal warmth lost in remote and hybrid setups — something especially valuable in Asian business environments where trust, relationship-building, and non-verbal cues play a big role in communication.
However, the same study also found a tipping point. Too many camera-on meetings in a day increased fatigue and lowered concentration. The positive effects of being visible disappeared when employees felt monitored rather than connected.
The hidden strain of ‘always on’
The fatigue factor is not just anecdotal. Studies by Stanford’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab explain why long hours on video leave people exhausted. Video calls compress social distance — faces appear closer than they would in real life, creating a sense of constant gaze. That “nonverbal overload” activates low-level stress responses.
Other research shows that women and younger employees, who often feel greater pressure to manage appearance and body language, report higher levels of exhaustion when cameras are required throughout the day. In collectivist cultures where employees are less likely to say “no,” a strict “camera-on” policy can quietly multiply stress.
Cultural balance: Visibility vs. privacy
Across Asia, attitudes toward privacy and hierarchy complicate the picture. In Japan or South Korea, formality and group harmony may encourage employees to follow camera norms without question. In Singapore, Malaysia, or the Philippines, where home offices are often shared family spaces, staff may feel uncomfortable revealing their surroundings.
HR leaders therefore face a delicate balancing act: how to preserve professionalism without overstepping personal boundaries. A blanket rule that “everyone must be visible” can backfire, especially in multicultural or multinational teams. It risks alienating employees who value discretion or whose living arrangements make constant visibility impractical.
The solution, many regional HR consultants now suggest, lies in clarity and empathy — explaining why cameras matter in some contexts and when they are optional.
When to ask — and how
If you’re hosting a meeting that relies on discussion, coaching, or client engagement, there’s good reason to request video. In moments where tone, facial expression, or trust-building are crucial, seeing each other helps. You might phrase it as an invitation rather than an order: “Let’s turn cameras on for this session so we can read the numbers together” or “It would help to see everyone while we plan this project.”
But for larger updates, company briefings, or routine reporting, allowing audio-only participation can actually improve focus and energy. The aim is to encourage connection, not compliance.
Five practices for Asian HR managers
- Match visibility to purpose.
Reserve camera use for collaboration-heavy sessions, client interactions, and sensitive discussions. Keep it optional for big-group updates. - Show flexibility from the top.
Leaders can model balance by occasionally going off camera and explaining why. It signals that professionalism is about contribution, not appearance. - Be culturally aware.
In diverse teams, acknowledge that employees’ comfort levels with home visibility differ. Offer blurred backgrounds, virtual offices, or voice-only options. - Prevent burnout.
Encourage shorter meetings and regular breaks. Suggest staff turn off self-view — an easy way to cut down the self-consciousness that drives fatigue. - Communicate the “why.”
Explain how visual contact supports collaboration and trust, especially across borders. Framing camera use as a shared benefit, not a rule, makes compliance voluntary and genuine.
A leadership moment
Back to your CFO. If the meeting involves delicate financial forecasts, a critical negotiation, or mentoring a new manager, a gentle nudge — “Shall we turn on cameras for this one?” — is appropriate. For routine updates, it’s fine to let him stay in voice-only mode.
The research is clear: cameras are powerful when they serve communication, not control. In Asia’s relationship-driven workplaces, the goal should be thoughtful visibility — enough to connect, not enough to exhaust.
Hybrid work has made screens our new meeting rooms. But the principle remains timeless: people engage best when they feel seen and respected. Whether your CFO appears on camera or not, the real measure of engagement is trust — and that can’t be switched on with a button.
