What Your Zoom Habits Might Be Telling Us (And Why It Matters)

We all have that colleague on video calls.

The one whose camera “never works.”

The one who changes backgrounds like outfits.

The one who somehow forgets they’re unmuted - every single time.

At first glance, these quirks might seem like harmless distractions. But if we pay closer attention, they reveal something deeper: patterns of behavior that hint at hidden strengths, personality traits, and untapped roles in our teams.

In the age of hybrid work, virtual meeting behaviors have become a kind of nonverbal language, offering clues about how people think, engage, and contribute. As leaders, teammates, or HR professionals, we can overlook these signals or learn to decode them.

Let’s take a closer look at seven typical Zoom personas. Beneath the surface, each one reflects a strength grounded in psychology, supported by research, and full of potential if we know how to harness it.

1. The Thoughtful Ghost

“Sorry, my camera’s not working today…”

One person always keeps their camera off and barely speaks during meetings. But before labeling them disengaged, consider this: they might be deep thinkers - reflective, observant, and more comfortable expressing themselves in writing.

Research on introversion suggests introverts process information more deeply and prefer asynchronous communication (Cain, 2012). These team members often deliver their best thinking after they’ve had time to reflect.

How to work with them: Follow up after meetings. Invite them to share ideas in writing. You might be surprised by the depth and clarity they bring — just not in real time.

2. The Creative Teleporter

A new virtual backdrop for every meeting.

Is that the Golden Gate Bridge today? A jungle temple tomorrow? While it may seem whimsical, this person is probably highly creative and open, traits linked to divergent thinking and innovation (McCrae & Costa, 1997).

The shifting background isn’t just for fun. It reflects a mind that’s always exploring, designing, and imagining.

How to work with them: Loop them into branding conversations, brainstorming sessions, or visual storytelling. Their environment reflects their thinking, and their thinking might inspire your next big idea.

3. The Accidental Showstopper

“Oops, I didn’t realize I was unmuted…”

We’ve all heard the background singing, the coffee order, and the dog barking mid-sentence. While it may seem like a nuisance, it also signals something powerful: authenticity, warmth, and unfiltered human presence.

Humor and light-heartedness, especially in tense or repetitive settings, are linked to increased team trust and morale (Romero & Cruthirds, 2006). These colleagues create emotional safety without even trying.

How to work with them: Put them at the heart of your team’s culture-building efforts. They have the natural ability to lower defenses and bring people together.

4. The Real-Life Cameo Star

A toddler’s head pops into frame. A cat walks across the keyboard.

For some people, remote work is a full-contact sport. But instead of apologizing, they remain composed, kind, and fully present. That’s not just professionalism — it’s adaptability under pressure.

According to workplace adaptability studies (Pulakos et al., 2000), this capacity to stay steady amid chaos is a key marker of resilience and emotional intelligence.

How to work with them: They’re great in high-stakes, people-facing situations — from client meetings to crisis management. Their calm is contagious.

5. The Quiet Tech Hero

“You’re on mute.” (Again.)

They’re the unofficial tech support. They notice when others are frozen, chime in gently when someone forgets to share their screen, and remind you (politely) that your mic is off.

This behavior often stems from attentiveness, patience, and a prosocial mindset - qualities that strengthen team cohesion (Grant & Mayer, 2009).

How to work with them: Ask them to help onboard new joiners or test tools. Their subtle presence keeps things running smoothly, and they rarely ask for credit.

6. The Keyboard Comet

You can hear them typing, always typing.

You’re unsure if they’re multitasking or taking notes, but one thing’s certain - they thrive under pressure. These are your high-output, high-speed players.

While multitasking has a bad reputation, certain cognitive profiles are well-suited to rapidly switching between tasks (Rubinstein et al., 2001). For them, motion equals momentum.

How to work with them: Channel that energy into fast-paced environments - logistics, content creation, operations. Just don’t trap them in drawn-out meetings.

7. The Digital Stage Manager

Knows every shortcut, tool, and platform update before you do.

They manage breakout rooms without breaking a sweat, share interactive polls mid-meeting, and have probably given themselves a virtual halo once or twice.

These tech-forward thinkers are early adopters - precisely those who drive digital transformation (Spitz-Oener et al., 2021). And they’re not just using the tools - they’re thinking ahead about what’s next.

How to work with them: Make them ambassadors for tech innovation, pilot testers, or internal trainers. They’ll help your organization stay agile in an ever-changing digital world.

The Bigger Picture: Why These Behaviors Matter

None of these behaviors happens in a vacuum. Personality, environment, stress levels, and more shape them. But they also reveal how people show up - and what they bring to the table.

In a remote world where we’ve lost watercooler conversations and hallway insights, Zoom quirks have become a new kind of workplace language. One worth listening to.

So next time someone’s dog steals the spotlight - or their background turns into a spaceship - pause before you laugh it off. It might be saying more than you think.

References

Cain, S. (2012). Quiet: The power of introverts in a world that can’t stop talking. Crown Publishing Group.Grant, A. M., & Mayer, D. M. (2009). Good soldiers and good actors: Prosocial and impression management motives as interactive predictors of affiliative citizenship behaviors. Journal of Applied Psychology, 94(4), 900–912. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0013770McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T. (1997). Personality trait structure as a human universal. American Psychologist, 52(5), 509–516. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.52.5.509Pulakos, E. D., Arad, S., Donovan, M. A., & Plamondon, K. E. (2000). Adaptability in the workplace: Development of a taxonomy of adaptive performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85(4), 612–624. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.85.4.612Romero, E. J., & Cruthirds, K. W. (2006). The use of humor in the workplace. Academy of Management Perspectives, 20(2), 58–69. https://doi.org/10.5465/amp.2006.20591005Rubinstein, J. S., Meyer, D. E., & Evans, J. E. (2001). Executive control of cognitive processes in task switching. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 27(4), 763–797. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-1523.27.4.763Spitz-Oener, A., Backes-Gellner, U., & Schneider, M. R. (2021). The digitization of work and its impact on individual productivity. Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 74(2), 412–437. https://doi.org/10.1177/0019793920950389