Should HR Have a Virtual Background Policy?

Mike McKerns

I was recently turned on to a Twitter account called Room Rater (@ratemyskyperoom) and spend at least a half hour scrolling through the photos and comments. To give a bit more background, Room Rater uses rates the video background of journalists, political figures, and some random interviewees. From what I can tell, the backgrounds that they rate are not the fake Zoom backgrounds that have become so popular but are the actual background in your living room, kitchen, home office etc. What’s in the frame, what can they see on the walls etc. They use some humor but there’s quite a bit of good advice in many of the posts.

This led me to the question posed here. With much of the country still working remote and many companies extending the timeline to the “foreseeable future”, is it time to consider HR policy related to Zoom backgrounds (whether real or a virtual)? It seems to me that your background can be related directly to a company’s dress code policy. We have policies in place to ensure that staff is dressed appropriately because they are representatives of our company and those policies should carry through to their virtual office as well.

In Fort Lauderdale, FL Broward Circuit Judge Dennis Bailey was so frustrated with the lack of professionalism he was seeing with attorneys he was meeting with virtually that he made a plea in a letter published by the Weston Bar Association. In the letter he pointed out that Zoom meetings are still hearings and all involved should dress as they would for the courtroom. He went on to mention that “putting on a beach cover-up won’t cover up the fact that you’re poolside in a bathing suit.”

While Judge Dennis Bailey’s concern was primarily attire related, I believe policies in this area need to extend to what’s in the background of your home office. Offensive or risqué artwork in the background during a meeting can reflect negatively on your company.

Mike McKerns is the editor in chief of HR Insights and director at Mamu Media the SMART content division of Haley Marketing. He can be reached at mmckerns@haleymarketing.com.