A Falmouth lifeguard says he has invented a sign language for video meetings to make them more human, and stop Zoom burnout.

Business coaching director, Paul Hills, lives in Falmouth where he loves swimming in the sea. So much so, he took training to become a voluntary lifeguard. That meant learning all the signals that lifeguards use; how to ask for help when out at sea, how to tell others you have understood messages, and how to relay the all-clear.

When Covid-19 hit, Paul switched his company online, and their leadership courses and business help sessions became virtual. He noticed that it was not always easy to read the participants during video conference sessions and he wanted to find better ways to connect and interact with them.

He remembered his lifeguard signs and how useful they were, and a revolution in video meetings was born.

He says major companies from across the globe are now in line for training from the Cornwall-based company, including big players in finance and communications.

“Anyone that’s had a video meeting, be it for business, or family, or friends, will know that there are sticking points. Who talks when? How can you be sure people are listening? How do you get simple feedback?”, says Paul Hills, “but with the new method, meetings are much more productive and interactive. And most importantly, human”.

Paul also wants to help vulnerable groups, like older people, connect and use the new language. He thinks it will really help with making video calls much more friendly, and so, reduce loneliness.

He says working lives are very different from what they were before Covid-19, with online meetings now the norm. But a video call, rather than a face-to-face meeting, can often mean a lack of engagement, lower productivity, and ultimately a strain on your mental health. Also called Zoom burnout. The new sign language is changing all that.

25 video signs have been developed, and the language will soon have a registered trademark. They are pretty simple, and range from doing a thumbs up, to showing connection to the concept, and signalling you would like to speak. Paul says they're designed to support mental wellbeing, as well as getting meetings done in a much more productive way.

He has conducted in-depth research into what people find frustrating with video calls. When interviewed many video meeting users often said they did not know if other participants were really listening or interested. One interviewee described being faced with ‘a sea of silence and blank faces.’ Participants showed frustration too, with interviewees saying they had no way to show they were interested or participating. Others say they became disinterested more quickly in video meetings because of the lack of participation.

“The use of the signs is very powerful but even more importantly the work on values and behaviours, meeting etiquette and the role and skills of the team leader has opened up the whole debate for us about what we could and should do differently to make our virtual meetings more productive and engaging, with a positive impact on wellbeing”, said Allyson Glover from Cornish business support group, ‘Unlocking Potential’ after getting the training.