By: Dr. Stephanie Diana Eubank DBA

In discussions with my students and colleagues, a pattern emerged: many organizations are treating camera-on policies as surveillance, not support. This approach is increasingly seen as abusive and toxic, turning employees off rather than building trust.

The Pressure on Women’s Appearance

Visual scrutiny during video calls can create undue stress, especially for women. Lookism—manifested in both derogatory and unrealistic judgments—remains a pervasive issue. Fast Company found that women are criticized for their appearance no matter how they look, facing impossible beauty standards that affect how seriously they’re taken in professional roles (Diehl & Dzubinski, 2024). Further research on appearance anxiety shows that women endure pressure to balance confidence and conformity—additional emotional labor not expected of men (Toegel, 2025).

Comfort, Authenticity & Expertise Shine Through Remote Work

Remote and hybrid work allow subject matter experts to focus on what they know rather than how they look. FlexJobs reported that 81% of remote workers prefer casual or business-casual attire, finding comfort boosts productivity without sacrificing professionalism (FlexJobs, 2025). For introverts, people with anxiety, ADHD, or autism, formal instructions and rigid attire can increase sensory or cognitive load. Remote models empower them to shape their environment and dressing choices to reduce distraction and support focus (Lacy, 2025; Vatalidis, 2025).

Efficiency & Equity Benefits of Cameras Off

Bandwidth and performance: One study found turning off webcams reduces carbon emissions, data usage, and energy, while stabilizing calls (Bronner, 2024). Reduced Zoom fatigue: Harvard Business Review reports that mandatory camera use can increase fatigue, particularly for women and newcomers feeling always on (Gabriel et al., 2021).

How Leaders Can Foster Balance, Trust, and Comfort

Here are research-backed and practical strategies to respect individual needs while maintaining connection and team cohesion:

• Make camera use optional—not mandatory. Encourage but don’t enforce it during key moments while honoring privacy and comfort (Gabriel et al., 2021).
• Focus on content, not appearance. Evaluate performance based on contributions and ideas—not looks or attire.
• Encourage attire flexibility. Support casual or video-friendly attire ideas while acknowledging that comfort supports focus (FlexJobs, 2025).
• Offer bandwidth-conscious options. Promote audio-only participation when needed to empower those with unstable connections (Bronner, 2024).
• Provide sensory-friendly meeting norms: share agendas and slides in advance, avoid excessive video, use chat for contributions, and offer quiet time post-meeting for processing (Vatalidis, 2025; Lacy, 2025).
• Ask about preferences. Conduct brief surveys or private check-ins about camera, audio, and comfort preferences.
• Model empathy and flexibility. Leaders should demonstrate camera-off flexibility themselves to reduce stigma.
• Normalize video sabbaths. Create guidelines such as camera-off Fridays or team-wide video breaks to reduce fatigue.

Conclusion

Camera-off policies are not signs of disengagement; they can be tools of inclusion and efficiency. By focusing on performance, comfort, and respect, leaders can support all team members—especially those sensitive to appearance, bandwidth, or sensory overload—without sacrificing engagement and cohesion.

References

Bronner, S. J. (2024, February 20). The surprising reason you should turn your webcam off during meetings. Inverse. https://www.inverse.com/innovation/the-surprising-reason-you-should-turn-your-webcam-off-during-meetings

Diehl, A., & Dzubinski, L. M. (2024, November 18). Lookism impacts women at work no matter how they look. Fast Company. https://www.fastcompany.com/91229638/lookism-is-alive-and-well-and-getting-worse-heres-why-your-appearance-is-judged-more-than-performance

FlexJobs. (2025, April 21). For remote work, casual outfits or business attire? https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/flexjobs-remote-work-style-pulse-report

Gabriel, A. S., Robertson, D., & Shockley, K. (2021, October 26). Research: cameras on or off? Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/10/research-cameras-on-or-off

Lacy, K. (2025, December 18). Neurodivergent introverts in the workplace: challenges & strengths. Ordinary Introvert. https://ordinaryintrovert.com/neurodivergent-introverts-in-the-workplace/

Toegel, G. (2025, March 4). Appearance anxiety can affect women’s self-esteem – but it doesn’t have to be a drag on their performance at work. IMD. https://www.imd.org/ibyimd/human-resources/appearance-anxiety-can-affect-womens-self-esteem/

Vatalidis, N. (2025, February 5). How to support neurodivergence in the workplace with remote and async work. Remote.com. https://remote.com/resources/insights-center/support-neurodivergence-workplace-remote-async

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