Keep It Brief: Videoconferencing Frequency and Duration as Predictors of Visual and Body Discomfort

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has led to a drastic increase in the frequency of videoconferencing used for work, school, and socialization. To date, the user experience impact of this increased screen time is unknown. We surveyed 489 participants (M-age = 24.19, Range = 18-72) to determine which factors best predict visual and body discomfort. Along with gender, screen time, and level of subjective meeting fatigue, meeting duration significantly predicted visual discomfort. In contrast, meeting frequency (along with the level of meeting engagement, subjective meeting fatigue, and other covariates) significantly predicted bodily discomfort. These results highlight the need for greater ergonomic evaluation of work-from-home setups, as well as point to a need for shorter, fewer, and more engaging video meetings for the average worker from home.

Automated summary

The recent increase in videoconferencing frequency due to the COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns about the impact on user experience. A survey of 489 participants revealed that meeting duration significantly predicted visual discomfort, while meeting frequency was a significant predictor of bodily discomfort. These findings highlight the importance of ergonomic evaluation for remote work setups and suggest the need for shorter, fewer, and more engaging video meetings for the average remote worker.