How Your Home Office Can Make You Look More Professional On Zoom

Many aspects of your life reflect on your appearance, from your clothing to your personal hygiene. Now, with the advent of Zoom culture for employees working in a hybrid capacity, the appearance of your home office can also influence how you are perceived by others. If you want to appear professional to your coworkers and clients, knowing how to set up your home office for video conferences can be a massive asset; fortunately, the steps you take to enhance your home office's visuals can also positively impact your mental health and well-being.

The first step to looking professional on Zoom is cleaning up your home office so that your camera frame delivers a clean visual. Any piles of clutter that are visible on your Zoom call will instantly detract from your office's appearance, so whether there are stacks of papers or books on your desk or in the background, start by tidying up your office and desk. Even if your office is free from piles of clutter, having too many items in your background (yes, even if they are nicely organized) can be anxiety-inducing to look at. Instead of having your bookshelf at total capacity, aim not to load each shelf more than two-thirds full. By leaving your bookshelves a little more sparse, you'll achieve a more intentional look. Remember also to vary up what you display on bookshelves — pottery, vases of flowers, and awards you have earned at work should be sprinkled throughout your books for maximum visual appeal. You can also work on how your books are organized: whether by color, genre, or size, it is completely up to you.

It's not uncommon to encounter video conferences where an individual's lighting is abysmal, be that over or underexposed. In both of these scenarios, the person on camera will look worse, and their professionalism will plummet. If you want to have a well-lit office for Zoom calls, the origin of illumination matters. You may think that a window should be in the background so that fellow Zoom participants can see the natural beauty in your office, but the contrary is actually true. Positioning yourself in front of a big window with lots of natural light will give your face the brightness that it needs to look its best. If you don't have a window in your home office, you can get a similar effect by placing a bright lamp behind your monitor.

Another common mistake to avoid if you're aiming to look professional is the angle of your monitor camera. Many people point the camera too dramatically down or up at their faces, which will result in a variety of issues. If your camera is pointing down at your face, it can give the appearance of smallness, whereas pointing the camera up to your face will make your face look rounder than it is and force other participants to look up your nose. Instead, the goal should be to have your camera exactly at or just above your eye level. This is easy enough to do with a pile of sturdy books, but if you want a more professional option, a laptop stand like the BESIGN Aluminum Laptop Stand may be what your home office needs for the best results.

While the aforementioned tips will certainly get your office looking more professional than most, there are additional steps that will take your appearance to the next level. One of the easiest ways to improve your home office on camera is to add some plant life. Consider some plants with different growth patterns, such as an ivy that dangles down from a shelf and a larger potted plant on the ground, which will create some on-camera visual interest. Do a little research to find out which plants are the best to spruce up your home office's atmosphere.

If you're attempting to create the most professional appearance for your Zoom calls, it's imperative to take into account more than just visual factors. Many individuals who are working from home have pets or children in the home that may add auditory distractions to work calls. If silencing background noise is not possible, adding soundproofing to your home office can offer a huge return on investment not only for your video calls but also for your overall productivity. Depending on your budget, you may be able to hire a professional company to come in and soundproof the vulnerable spots in your office that are allowing in too much noise. For a more budget-friendly option, you can try placing soundproofing blankets on the walls to make for better audio in your office, as well as installing ceiling tiles that are designed to cut down on noise pollution. With the right knowledge and access to resources, you can drastically improve the professionalism of your home office for Zoom calls.