Zoom Fatigue Is Real — And These Statistics Prove It

If you’re one of the millions of remote or hybrid workers who is still saddled with frequent virtual meetings, you’ve probably felt overwhelmed or burned out by the sheer amount of information being delivered through your computer screen on a daily (if not hourly) basis.

But for those of you who know this feeling all too well, it might help to remember that you’re not alone. The massive pandemic-era work-from-home boom resulted in a tidal wave of virtual meeting invitations that still has employees gasping for air.

How bad has it gotten?

During the COVID-19 lockdowns, the idea of remote work was widely viewed not only as a public health necessity, but also a break from the daily commutes, water cooler small talk, and other frustrations of office jobs.

As the trend continued, though, new frustrations emerged — most notably, the ubiquity of Zoom meetings.

According to a new report from the analytics firm Vypota:

• More than 7% of workers stayed muted for entire meetings last year, an increase from 4.8% in 2022.
• The number of people who opted to disable their camera during meetings also increased in 2023.
• Workers attended an average of more than 10 virtual meetings per week last year.

What does it all mean?

Aside from reflecting the decreased participation among workers in the Zoom era, Vyopta’s research might provide some important data for employers to consider.

Evidence suggests that those who choose to remain muted or off camera during meetings are more likely to quit in the near future.

Employees who resigned within a year of taking part in the study were on screen for an average of 18.4% of their virtual meetings, whereas their colleagues who remained in that position longer kept their cameras on for nearly twice as much time.

Chris Agee June 25th, 2024

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