Many of us love the idea of working from a coffee shop.
The environment is relaxing and calming, and you can remain productive in your work.
However, since it is a public place, certain rules must be adhered to to make walking in easy for your work and other customers.
So, Is It Rude to Have a Zoom Meeting in a Coffee Shop?
Having a zoom meeting in a coffee shop may not be the best idea if you work in a job that requires you to protect client information. Also, if it’s a business meeting, you may look very unprofessional conducting it in a public place.
But if you are in an informal zoom meeting with maybe your friends or family, it’s not much of a deal, provided you are comfortable. But try to keep your voice at a reasonable level.
Do Coffee Shops Have Meeting Rooms?
Some coffee shops have started designing their spaces with meeting rooms.
As such, entrepreneurs, freelancers, and others can have a great atmosphere to conduct their meetings with colleagues and other clients.
Therefore, in such a place, you can have your zoom meetings without anyone disturbing you.
However, please note that you will have to pay for the space.
So it makes sense if you are at least with one or two of your colleagues joining the same meeting so that you can cost share.
You might not get value for your money renting the entire meeting space in a coffee shop for yourself.
What Other Etiquette Should You Know When Working at a Coffee Shop?
1. Order Something
Many of us love working in cafés as they offer an ambient space.
But many people don’t buy anything and use the space for working.
Please bear in mind that the coffee shop isn’t your home or office.
The staff and management depend on customers to order things to keep the place running.
| See Also: Should You Make Coffee A Hobby? |
So, be courteous enough to order something. This shows you also appreciate the place and love their drinks or snacks.
If coffee isn’t your thing, buy tea or grab something for it.
2. Use Your Headphones
Listening to music while working can be nice.
However, the rest of the people in the coffee shop don’t need to hear your music. That is why you mustn’t leave your headphones below.
Apart from music, you might also get phone calls or video calls.
Having headphones allow you to have semi-private conversations with the other person without disturbing other people on the premises.
3. Don’t Spread Your Stuff
Coffee shops are shared spaces.
Therefore, many people, like you, will come to do their work or hang around there. For this reason, you should learn to share the space.
Do not spread your items over different chairs.
It’s important to remain organized when working or studying in coffee houses. If not, this space is not suitable for you.
Some cafés have very high traffic.
Therefore, getting a spot to sit can sometimes be difficult. It’s frustrating to go around the coffee shop trying to find somewhere to sit.
So, consider other people visiting the place and keep your things close to you.
4. Look Around
Everyone doesn’t need to hear your conversations and how you do your business in the café.
Doing that can breach your clients’ privacy and disrupt people around you.
This is particularly important for online meetings, video calls, or phone calls.
If you must do your meeting in this place, try and find a spot at the corner in the coffee shop that’s moderately loud.
The noises in the background will block other people from hearing what you are saying to some degree without making it hard for the people in your meeting to hear you.
5. Avoid Interrupting Other People Who’re Working
It’s normal to want to start a conversation with someone next to you in a coffee shop.
However, it can be irritating when you are wearing your headphones, trying to do some work, and someone is trying to talk to you.
Just a short smile and greeting the other person is acceptable.
However, avoid long conversations.
You also would not appreciate someone trying to distract you from your work with small talk.
6. Choose and Stay in Your Seat
Settle on the chair you want to sit on and stick to it until you complete your work.
Doing this is for your benefit, but it also benefits other people.
Moving around with your items can distract other people, especially if they are trying to work.
Remember that cafés aren’t as big.
Therefore, something small can easily disrupt other people.
Choose a comfortable chair to remain productive and a place where you can sit the whole day.
Also, check the lighting.
Avoid sitting in a bright area as it can give glare and headaches.
7. Don’t Order When on Your Phone
When working remotely, you have a lot of things to do.
Therefore, you may have the pressure to multitask, which leaves you staring at your phone most times, waiting for updates.
However, when ordering coffee, you need to put your phone away for a minute.
It is generally rude to order at the café and even restaurants when you are on your phone.
Please remember that you are talking to a human being in front of you.
Therefore, you need to look at them when ordering and even have small talk with them.
Doing that ensures you get the best service which is what we all want.
Even when you are busy, try connecting to people, especially when working in a coffee shop.
8. Don’t Hog the Outlets
You’ve just been working and suddenly realize your battery is low.
There isn’t anything wrong with finding an outlet to charge your phone or laptop.
Coffee shops have multiple outlets to allow individuals to charge their devices.
Even so, you don’t have to hog the outlets the entire time.
You can charge your devices but don’t charge them all at once.
It’s always best to charge your equipment before you go to the café.
This way, you will not need to charge your phones.
Additionally, it’s also wise to pay attention to your cords to prevent someone from tripping.
If you don’t need a charging outlet, find a seat that lets you leave them for other people that need them.
Final Thoughts
If you’ll have a zoom meeting while working remotely, it’s best to schedule it for when you are in the office or at home.
However, if you really have to conduct it in a coffee shop, ensure you keep your voice down.
You don’t want to disturb other people who’re studying or working.
lease bear in mind that the café is not a private space.
Therefore, you need to be considerate of other people’s needs when you’re working there.
References
https://arikhanson.com/should-you-take-conference-calls-in-a-coffee-shop/
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/is-it-acceptable-to-have-a-zoom-meeting-in-cafe-vngvzx067