2 Neglected Nonverbal Skills on Video Calls

Many elements of nonverbal communication can be picked up over video, but two key components are almost entirely lost. Here’s how to incorporate them for better communication.

How much of your day is spent in video meetings?

Over the past two years, video calls have likely become standard fare in your daily work diet, even if you’ve returned to your office. You may have experienced a bit of a learning curve in the beginning as virtual interactions took the place of face-to-face meetings. (Where’s the mute button!?) But you’ve gotten better. Whether you’ve been purposeful about it or not, you’ve probably made adjustments in your individual, presentation, and nonverbal communication skills and figured out what works and what doesn’t in the virtual world.

As it turns out, most aspects of nonverbal communication translate to online venues, such as making eye contact, breathing, voice pattern, listening, facial expressions, and even claiming space. You can still provide stability, build trust, and communicate presence over video.

But two important aspects of nonverbal communication are almost entirely lost when you meet someone remotely: proxemics (how people interact and communicate through the use of physical space and surroundings) and haptics (touch). We are literally losing touch with each…