In the evolving world of remote work, we've all become familiar with some of the challenges that come with virtual meetings. From awkward pauses to technical glitches, we've all been given a front-row seat to the unpredictable nature of our home environments.
Such was the case for one woman who, during an important Zoom call with thousands of people, found herself distracted by a completely normal and humorous moment involving her pet.
She was unable to concentrate during a live Zoom presentation after her dog began vomiting in the background.
“My dog throwing up in the background of me talking to a live audience of 30K+ people including Nobel Laureates,” the woman, named Ellie Hurer, shared in a TikTok video. In a screengrab from the presentation, Hurer begins to talk when the unexpected happens.
As she's going through the important points and explaining her presentation, her dog can be heard in the background hacking up a storm. At one point, Hurer visibly stumbles over her words as she writes in overlay text on the screen that her mind immediately “went blank.”
Determined to keep going, Hurer tries not to let it show on her face what's happening, but her dog continues throwing up and progressively gets louder and louder. Hurer manages to remain professional, but her concentration is obviously thrown off thanks to her dog's unpredictable vomiting episode.
In a time where remote work and virtual meetings have become something of a normal occurrence, these scenarios seem to happen frequently.
In February 2021, Rod Ponton, a county attorney in Presidio County, Texas, was unable to figure out how to turn off the cat filter on his Zoom call during a hearing in Texas’ 394th Judicial District Court.
“Mr. Ponton, I believe you have a filter turned on in the video settings,” Judge Roy Ferguson can be heard telling Ponton in the video. “Augh,” an exasperated Ponton replied, as his kitten face looked on somberly, his eyes seemed to be full of terror and embarrassment at the mishap. “Can you hear me, Judge?” he proceeded to ask, even though audio was never at issue.
And it's not just vomiting dogs or cat filters, but children as well who often cause disturbances during important virtual work meetings. There have been countless incidents and videos, including the infamous “BBC Dad” who went viral after his children interrupted his on-air interview, that proves we're not perfect and these things happen.
In this new era of working, these different incidents prove that we're all just trying to figure it out.
These incidents, while undeniably humorous, offer a comforting reminder that we're all in this together. In this new era of working since the pandemic, where the lines between personal and professional life are oftentimes blurred, these shared experiences highlight the universality of the struggle to adapt to the challenges of virtual work.
Around 73% of people suffer from Zoom anxiety and, per a 2021 study, Zoom anxiety and fatigue are sometimes tied to nonverbal cues, including intense worries about technical glitches or other interruptions happening during virtual work meetings.
These moments, instead of being something that is both stressful and pressuring, can create an atmosphere of lightheartedness that is sometimes needed in tense virtual atmospheres. In a way, they humanize the virtual workspace, adding that needed touch of warmth and authenticity.
As we continue to navigate the unpredictable landscape of virtual meetings, it's time to start embracing these shared experiences not only as sources of laughter but as threads that bring us together in the grand tapestry of remote work life. After all, through the laughter that we share it can become a powerful reminder that, despite all of the challenges happening in the world and around us, we're never alone.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.
