2022 is the year to stop feeling bored or tired in Zoom meetings and start taking control of the situation. One of the easiest ways to have more fun at work is to try out some new virtual office backgrounds. Here's why you should download new backgrounds and a guide to the top 30 options.
Benefits of Using Virtual Backgrounds
Using a virtual background can help you connect with your team members. For example, if you choose a background of your favorite sports team, people who also like that team may comment on your settings. Then, you have something to discuss during your next email exchange or company party. The same applies if you use photos of your favorite TV shows, bands, vacation destinations, or hobbies.
Zoom office backgrounds also make it harder for people to get distracted. When your surroundings are obscured, there's a lower chance that a family member or pet walking through the meeting will waste time. You also don't have to worry about people looking at your photos, calendar, bed, decor, or anything else behind you.
Furthermore, meeting backgrounds create some separation between your home and work lives. If you have to attend meetings in your bedroom or living room, it can feel like your whole company is invading your personal space. Using the same virtual office background keeps your settings anonymous and focused on work, especially if you tend to look at your view during meetings.
Backgrounds for Every Style
Now that you know the benefits of Zoom backgrounds, it's time to run through the top 30 options. First, use Zoom's create feature to add your company's logo to your background. This style is perfect for meeting with a new customer or having a company-wide call.
Second, if you're a bookworm, download a library-style background. You'll look like you're in a fancy study, showing off your excellent book collection. You can also choose fancier libraries with bookshelves that extend to the ceiling and giant chandeliers.
For travel lovers, set a scenic mountain range as your backdrop. If the beach is more your scene, download your favorite background of the waves and sand.
You can also choose backgrounds that resemble office spaces to add normalcy to your meetings. Pick from workspaces with retro lamps and wooden finishings, sleek modern designs, comfortable armchairs, traditional conference tables, and desks looking over the city.
If you want to feel at home but don't want everyone to see your office or bedroom, use virtual meeting backgrounds that mimic house setups. Top options include a cozy nook near a window, a desk with minimalist decorations, a desk corner filled with plants, a colorful tea cabinet, a studio-style living room, and a squashy couch.
Pick backgrounds with mostly muted surroundings and one focal point if you get distracted easily. A wall with gray paint and one houseplant on the front left is a good option, as is a green wall with a plain white square and a smaller plant. A brown armchair with a wooden coffee table works well, too.
For even less distraction, choose solid-colored backgrounds. White and black work well with any outfit, while green and blue can have calming effects amid a stressful workday.
Make things even more fun by showing your sports pride with your background. For example, if you're a San Francisco football fan, install a background of the 49ers' stadium. If you're worried about starting a controversial sports argument during your next call, choose a background with a football field with no logo.
Zoom also offers backgrounds based on the sets of popular BBC shows. For Doctor Who fans, host your next meeting from inside the Tardis. Go retro with backgrounds from old sitcoms such as Dad's Army, Hancock's Half Hour, and Porridge.
Finally, if you want to add some thrill to your workday, try an image of two live volcanoes from the Smithsonian Channel. They're eye-catching initially but not so full of colors that you or your meeting attendees will get overstimulated.
Tips for Choosing Your Background
These top 30 backgrounds make up a minuscule proportion of your options, so reviewing some tips for choosing the right one is essential. First, determine whether your company has any regulations or guidelines for your meeting background. For example, some businesses don't allow the use of licensed images or any backgrounds that could be controversial.
Next, think about what makes you calm and focused. If putting your favorite TV show's set as your background makes you want to binge-watch it, that image probably isn't your best option. If you have a bookshelf background and try to read all the book titles, you might need a virtual backdrop with fewer components.
Remember that different colors have meanings. Backgrounds with lots of red are likely to come off as overbearing or powerful. Bright and neon colors may be hard for your fellow meeting attendees to look at. Neutral colors such as brown, white, black, green, and gray are your best bets for a calm and focused call.
You don't have to coordinate your outfit to every virtual backdrop you use. Choosing one that contrasts with your clothes can make it easier to see and adds class to your setup.
Finally, don't spend so much time scrolling through different options that you never try one. Set a timer, find a fun background, and try it out for your next meeting. Use the video preview feature to ensure that your background doesn't blur your face and that you like how it looks. If it doesn't work out, you can always swap out your background before your next meeting.
It's easy to feel burnt out or disconnected from your job if most meetings happen remotely. Add excitement and fun to your day by trying one of these top 30 virtual office backgrounds.