Gen Z Leads Trend of Cooking During Work Video Calls

Clear Facts

• A national survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults found that 17 percent have cooked during a work meeting with cameras off.
• Among Gen Z respondents, 26 percent admitted to cooking during virtual meetings.
• Other activities reported include using the bathroom (23 percent), online shopping (14 percent), and exercising (13 percent) during meetings with cameras off.

Many American workers are quietly preparing meals while on virtual meetings, according to new survey data. The trend raises questions about focus and professionalism in the remote workplace. Younger workers appear most likely to engage in these activities.

John Coleman, co-CEO of Atlanta-based Sovereign’s Capital, shared his perspective on the findings. “I’d hate for someone to have a cooking accident while they’re on Zoom and not be a full participant in the meeting,” Coleman said.

Coleman also recalled a colleague who accidentally took his laptop into the restroom with the video on. “I had a colleague forget that his video was on and take his laptop into the restroom with him actually, which gave a great view of the restroom to everybody on the call, much to his chagrin,” Coleman said.

Leadership expert Kristen Hadeed views these moments differently. “These moments are part of life, and I want my team to feel empowered to take the time they need while maintaining open communication with the team,” Hadeed said.

Hadeed emphasized the importance of clear communication when stepping away from work. “When a person’s time away from work will affect their availability, responsiveness or the team’s ability to get work done, I expect that it is communicated so that we are all on the same page,” Hadeed added.

Catherine Fisher, LinkedIn’s vice president of communications, focused on whether multitasking impacts participation. “The question isn’t necessarily, ‘Are you doing anything else?’ It’s, ‘Can you still contribute when you’re needed?'” Fisher said.

Fisher noted that Gen Z’s behavior may reflect how the pandemic reshaped their expectations. “Many started their careers during the pandemic, at a time when the boundaries between work and home had already been rewritten,” Fisher said.

Coleman placed responsibility on organizations for creating overly long and crowded meetings. “A lot of this responsibility, I think, rests on organizations,” Coleman said. “We overcrowd meetings. We make them too long.”

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