Even If You WFH, Always Wear A Shirt

If I have learned anything in the last five years since COVID, it’s this: even if you’re working from home, put on a shirt.

It was the summer of 2022 and I was working from home, not all of the time anymore, in the summer of 21 the company I was working for went from 100% RTO to a hybrid model. During COVID I had taken to going for walks during my lunch, though sometimes in the summer when it was particularly hot I would get up early and go in the morning before the temperature was unbearable.

This was not one of those days. Sure, it was warm, but not oppressively so.

I procrastinate a lot, so when I headed out for my walk I knew I had to hurry because shortly after I returned I would have to take a quick shower and then jump into a meeting with the Business Intelligence team, our standard weekly meeting. Did I mention that I am not very good at estimating times, either? Combine that with my procrastination, and yes, I returned from my walk without enough time to shower before having to be online as I was the host for this meeting.

I was also sweating profusely, I had also underestimated how warm and humid it would be that day, so I immediately walked into the spare bedroom where I was working and tore off my soaked workout shirt, flinging my visor to the side. I sat down, turned on a fan, and got ready for my meeting.

Some companies insist that you use cameras when you’re in a virtual meeting, but in my experience, almost no one in IT turns their camera on. There are exceptions, but almost every meeting I am in with IT people their cameras are off. Don’t get me started on Marketing and HR people, though…

Despite my disheveled state, I wasn’t worried about having to be on camera.

Mistake #1.

I don’t recall exactly which virtual meeting application I was using at the time, but as I was looking for the “Share” button to present the Smartsheet webpage on my screen to discuss open items with the team, my mouse hovered over the “Preview webcam” option for a split second too long.

Let me tell you, dear reader, that no, I had not slid over the privacy cover on my integrated webcam before the meeting.

Mistake #2.

So there, for the whole team to see, was a large and sweaty brown man (me) whose hair was in disarray (remember what I said about whipping my shirt and visor off?), looking down at a webcam that showed from my lower chest on upwards. I assure you that I was wearing pants, but from the camera’s viewpoint that could not be ascertained.

In short, my team was expecting to see rows and columns of information but instead they got to see an apparently naked Michael.

Of course, when one makes an error such as this it always takes several seconds longer than usual to remember how to turn the webcam preview off. No, I was struck by the horror of what appeared on my screen while my colleagues were at first shocked, but then highly amused.

Mistake #3.

My only saving grace was that all of the people logged on for that meeting were dudes because, THANKFULLY, the woman who was usually in this meeting was unable to attend that day. At least I knew I wouldn’t be talking to HR shortly after this meeting.

Thank the flying spaghetti monster for tender mercies.

This happened years ago, but just a couple of months ago I was at a remembrance for a fellow coworker who had suddenly passed and while catching up with the team they regaled Shalee and me with their perspective of the story, laughing riotously the entire time.

It’s nice to be remembered so fondly, I suppose.

Ever since that fateful day, no matter what, I make sure to put on a shirt before I log on for the day, whether my webcam is active or even if it’s disconnected (I use an external one now, but the onboard camera on my laptop is always shuttered).

Perhaps you are one of those bizarre freaks that actually dresses for the day when you WFH, like you were actually going into the office. And maybe that makes sense for you because you actually have to use your webcam for meetings.

But I don’t.

But again, just in case, I remind you all: If you WFH, always remember to put on a shirt.

Do as I say, lest you do as I did.