Why a Webcams On Culture Matters - Emerging Nurse Leader

By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN

The COVID-19 pandemic has shut down usual systems of interactions and social distancing is the new norm. As we have trended downward in the number of in-person interactions, it is not surprising that we have trended upwards in online-interactions. Nurse leaders miss getting together with other leaders. It is much harder to connect virtually, yet we are learning; it is essential to do it well.

Over the past six months, I have been teaching virtual workshops and notice an interesting trend. There are two different types of organizational cultures – the webcams on cultures and the webcams off cultures. There are noticeable differences in both engagement and interaction with webcams on cultures. Joe Tye and Bob Dent in their work have talked about culture as the invisible architecture in organizations. We know from Gallup research that frontline leaders account for about 70% of the variance in staff engagement. So what happens when leaders themselves start disengaging by keeping their cameras off during meetings and saying little? The changes don’t occur overnight, but it is instead a slow erosion of engagement that happens over time. That is why in Gallup engagement discussions, they now recommend a webcam on culture.

One nurse leader told me that in the first few months of the pandemic, she had allowed her leaders not to be on webcams during meetings. Some did not even have webcams on their computers. She quickly saw differences in the interaction between those on webcam and those off webcam. She bought webcams for the computers of all her leaders and then requested that they be turned on during meetings. The meetings are far more interactive, and information is more clearly communicated. Opting out is not an option. It also prevented embarrassing moments when you call on a leader with their webcam off who does not answer and may not even be in the room.

Turning on your webcam holds you a little more accountable for engaging with the meeting or class. It minimizes the amount of multitasking that the leader can do during a session because it is more obvious. It also allows you to gauge facial expressions. Conversations become far more efficient and engaging when facial expressions are in play. Initially, most of us did not anticipate that social distancing would last this long but it has and will at least into the near future. It may be time to reset your culture into a Webcams on organization.

Reference

Tye, J & Dent B. (2020). Building a culture of ownership in healthcare: The invisible architecture of core values, attitude, and self-empowerment. Indianapolis: Sigma Theta Tau.

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