What Are The Limitations Of Video Conferencing?

Videoconferencing is the hottest technology in the market that not only allows participants to meet in real-time but also builds a live connection amongst people in different locations.

Despite being so useful, video conferencing has a few limitations such as security, technological dependency, lack of personal connections, set-up cost, technical difficulties, different time zones, etc.

Video conferencing is an advanced technology that has grown over the past few years. It brings family, friends, or clients from all over the world to a single screen without having to leave the comfort of your couch.

With the evolving video conferencing technology and the increasing market demands, video conferencing tools reached almost $3.6 billion in 2016, says studies.

This hike forced more and more fields to use video conferencing as a medium of enhancing working efficiency and staying one step ahead of their competitors. But, like all other things, video conferencing is also not perfect. And every technology with new advancements has problems like troubleshooting, security, distractions, camera malfunctions, etc.

Besides some common disadvantages, video conferencing used in different fields has different obstacles to each other.

Limitations of video conferencing in Business

Although 70% of employees prefer video conferencing over a physical meeting, many still feel overwhelmed and anxious before joining virtual meetings. Shocking, isn’t it? Let us know why.

People feel less organised or recognised while video conferencing. They feel like wasting other participants’ time if they didn't have everything planned out or pointed down. Moreover, no in-person meetings and personal contact often make employees feel lonely and isolated.

Another limitation of video conferencing is a weak or unstable internet connection which often ruins a meeting before it even starts. From blocked or blurred video to audio halt, there are many ways for things to go out of order. However, this can be very frustrating and deviating when the employee is trying to present something important.

Besides, using video conferencing is not easy for every employee and they are not comfortable or trained enough with such a format or technology, which often leads to security issues. Since most meetings are held to present or explain the agendas involving exchanging confidential information, this factor could be risky.

Limitations of video conferencing in Healthcare

The extensive utilisation of video conferencing in the healthcare sector has made access to medical treatment easy in less time and cost. But it's still seen as an imperfect substitute for face-to-face communication here.

In several medical surveys, video conferencing limits the physical examination. Many doctors/professionals process information differently when presented through videoconference. For instance, a patient with a lump or an internal injury has to visit the clinic for check-ups, blood work, and imaging tests.

Moreover, telehealth facilities run on hardware and software, which can sometimes be costly and need training which becomes another barrier for patients who are not tech-savvy or funded enough. And many health insurance companies may not cover completely, leading to out-of-pocket costs.

Limitations of video conferencing in Education

Besides business and healthcare, video conferencing has been surprisingly useful in education. Starting from time flexibility to making a computer-literate generation. But employing video in the classroom is also not as easy as in an actual classroom. It takes equal patience and effort for both student and teacher.

Relying on technology for learning brings myriad problems such as connectivity issues and fixing audio and video. This makes it even more difficult to capture the attention of students. As well as the consequent distractions make it more difficult for the students to understand the topic or information.

Video conferencing often diminishes the opportunity for personal interaction amongst students as there is very less time for questions and comments. And when a single teacher is in charge of teaching several classrooms, it makes it more of a seminar than a classroom.

Moreover, video conferencing also contributes to the problem of spending an alarming amount of screen time which may lead to physical illnesses like headaches or poor posture.

Limitations of video conferencing in Personal Life

According to some research, video conferencing is mostly used in personal life. It helps in communicating with family, friends, etc. all over the world. And, although it is embraced as a trusted communication medium, it also brings a few technological limitations.

As we all know, a good internet connection is crucial for a video conference. This limits people living in remote areas or with insufficient internet bandwidth to take full advantage of video conferencing. It is the most common issue everyone faces, whether travelling or sitting at home. And above this, when the upload and download stream slows down, it causes delays and lags in communication which is often annoying.

Not only network but technology set-up also play an important role in connecting. And since everyone is not familiar with evolving technology, they end up fumbling around trying to fix and connect devices correctly.

Limitations of video conferencing in Court Rooms

The adoption of video conferencing in courtrooms has shown a true balance of reduced time, travel expenses, and cost savings. But using these technologies has also raised critical questions about how complainant’s rights and their access to justice may be impacted by the limitations it possesses.

According to several studies of virtual witnesses, it is often found that the children were perceived as less confident or accurate over video conferences due to virtual fatigue and camera shyness.

Using video conferencing in the courtroom also affects significant outcomes, as it limits the communication between attorneys and their clients.

Apart from that, the credibility of evidence plays an important role in fair decisions making. Thus, sharing confidential testimonies over video conferencing could be hacked and changed. This hampers the originality of evidence, and wrong decisions could be made. In fact, in three out of six surveyed immigration courts, judges had to change their assessments made during a video hearing after holding an in-person hearing.

Can we overcome these virtual hurdles?

According to a report, 54% of employees regularly take part in work-related video conferences, but not all of them stay enthusiastically. Nevertheless, this ground-breaking technology is capable of overcoming barriers of space and time. Having the right tools and knowledge can make the process more seamless.

Make it more engaging, entertaining sessions that include games, polls, quizzes, and more.

Use powerful collaboration tools like screen sharing, whiteboards, notes, and playlists to keep students away from distraction and burden.

Talking about the same goals and agendas is boring sometimes. So, avoid all work-no-play traditions by adding some games or including a happy hour to talk about personal things and create a sense of belonging.