1. DOING OTHER WORK
No one was surprised by this one. One of the big advantages to a conference call is the opportunity to multitask. Almost two-thirds of people
said they do other work while on a conference call.
While we applaud the multitaskers and overachievers, it can also be dangerous to become so distracted with other work that the conference call
becomes ineffective.
Pro Tip: Chances are, if you can get away with multitasking during the meeting, you really didn't need to join in the first place. Get some time back in your day and decline the meeting if you don't really have to be there. Sometimes it's actually OK to be excluded.
63%
2. SENDING EMAILS
This isn’t a shocker either and may sometimes even be necessary. More than three out of five people send emails during a conference call. This isn’t always a bad thing, especially if it is related to the call. But, keep in
mind that if you can’t type and pay attention at the same time, you might want to put a hold on the emails.
Pro Tip: Only send out emails that are requested or needed for the call you are on. If you are a loud typer, put yourself on mute while you compose the email so the other attendees aren’t distracted by the constant ‘clack, clack, clack’.
55%
3. EATING OR MAKING FOOD
The survey found that 55% of people eat or prepare food while on a conference call. They must not be contributing much if their mouths are full.It isn’t unusual to keep snacks at your desk, but no one wants to hear you chomping your cheese curls during a heavy discussion about budgets.
Pro Tip: Just don’t eat during a call; you won’t starve. But, if you have to, put your line on mute before you dig in.
43%
6. CHECKING SOCIAL MEDIA
It should come as no surprise that more than four in 10 people surveyed said they use social media during a mobile conference call. Social media has permeated our society. That being said, it can be very distracting while trying
to pay attention to something important.
Social media has become intertwined with the business community, so it may be necessary to use it during the work day. But, like most things, there
is a time and a place to tweet or post a status. A conference call is rarely one of them.
Pro Tip: Unless your job title has the words “social media” in it, play it safe and limit your status updates while you’re working.
25%
7. PLAYING VIDEO GAMES
There is just something strange—and almost offensive—about a client or coworker playing Call of Duty or Madden while the team is trying to discuss
budgets and program strategies. But alas, a quarter of our respondents claimed that they have played video games during a conference call.
Pro Tip: Don’t risk yelling at the virtual football player and then realizing that your phone isn’t muted. And try to withstand the need to play Candy Crush until lunchtime. The other people in your
21%
8. SHOPPING ONLINE
More than one in five of those surveyed fessed up to shopping online during a conference call. This isn’t so surprising. Most people browse the web while
working. But, again, when you’re on the clock and on a call, you should probably be giving 100 percent of your attention to the meeting.
Pro Tip: Park the cart. Unless it's Cyber Monday, those online deals will be there when your call is over.
9. EXERCISING
So, almost one in 10 people admit to getting a sweat on while participating in a conference call. It’s possible that their version of ‘exercise’ is squeezing a
hand grip instead of running on a treadmill or trying to set a new world record for a bench press.
Either way, no one wants to hear your heavy breathing while you are trying to give a status update.
Pro Tip: If your schedule is so packed that you need to overlap your workout and your conference calls, hire a personal assistant to optimize your calendar. You really should save the leg warmers and muscle shirts for after work.
10. TAKE ANOTHER PHONE CALL
With just six percent of respondents admitting to taking another call while on a work conference call, this has likely never happened to you. But, as anyone who has ever tried to call customer service about your cable bill will attest,being on hold is one of the more maddening things in the world.
Pro Tip: If you are expecting an important phone call, make sure you announce that fact at the beginning of a conference call so people aren’t surprised or put off when you take it. That way, too, when they ask for your feedback and there’s only silence, they won’t wonder if you’re sleeping.
