Study reveals: online meetings not as exhaustive as expected!

Study reveals: online meetings not as exhaustive as expected!

A new study by the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz has presented remarkable results on so-called “Zoom fatigue” and shows that online meetings are not necessarily more exhausting than face-to-face meetings. These findings were published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology and come from a joint study by Junior Professor Dr. Hadar Nesher Shoshan and a colleague from Maastricht University.

As part of the study, 125 test subjects were asked about their experiences with meetings over a period of ten days. A total of 945 meetings were examined, of which 62% were online meetings. Researchers originally hypothesized that meetings held online would lead to increased fatigue, but this turned out to be wrong.

No exhaustion from online meetings

The results of the study show that online meetings that last less than 44 minutes are perceived as less exhausting than their face-to-face counterparts. This contradicts previous research published during the COVID-19 pandemic. These were often transmitted data from a time when the symbolic meaning of video meetings was strong. Dr. Nesher Shoshan explains that the causes of “Zoom fatigue” are more likely to be found in the pandemic situation than in the online meetings themselves.

The research could have far-reaching implications for the level of stress in today's workplace. Given these results, the question arises as to whether concerns about fatigue from online meetings may become less important in the future, particularly in the context of home office working conditions.

Previous context of “Zoom fatigue”

The phenomenon of “Zoom fatigue” has been under discussion since the first waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, participating in video meetings was often associated with fatigue, for a variety of reasons. An investigation of the Institute for Employment and Employability (IBE) in 2020 found that over 60% of respondents suffered from this form of fatigue and two-thirds reported an increase in fatigue.

The most common symptoms of “Zoom fatigue” include a reduction in concentration, impatience and increased irritability. Physical symptoms such as headaches and back pain affect around 25-30% of those affected. The interpersonal aspect of the meetings is indicated by results that 70% of those affected missed non-verbal cues.

Practical implications and solutions

The study results could inspire new measures for budgeting working hours in online meetings. This includes limiting the duration of meetings and designing meetings to encourage breaks. The organization of meetings could be improved, which can help protect employees' mental and physical health. Technical factors such as the quality of sound and image are noticeably less stressful, while interpersonal aspects still have a significant influence on fatigue.

In summary, current evidence suggests that perceived exhaustion from online meetings is not tied to the formats themselves, but rather to the conditions and attitudes associated with using these formats. It remains to be seen how companies will integrate these findings into their work strategies.