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I recently started a new job. Most people work remotely. Often times we have a meeting with screen sharing where the presenter demonstrates how to do something. Mostly this is because I am being trained since I'm new, but also lots of our systems are migrating or being changed. Instead of trying to take notes and watch a the same time, I sincerely think it would help if I recorded the meeting.

I got this idea from a past job where my supervisor would record everything and put it on a shared drive. I really wasn't comfortable in this scenario because a) the work involved going through out the computer, for example in downloads folder, and we were using our personal computers; and b) the supervisor was a jackass and did things like snicker at people he thought said something dumb. Nevertheless I found in terms of productivity having a meeting recorded that contains technical instructions was very good.

Hypothetically I don't have to, but I consider it respectful to ask people if they are OK being recorded. How should I do this? Is recording meetings considered normal at times? At this job people supply their own laptops and the culture is respectful.

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    Why do you think you need anything more complicated than "Do you mind if I record this meeting?"
    – Philip Kendall
    Commented Mar 17, 2022 at 21:25
  • @PhilipKendall I guess I'm overthinking it but should I ask each person individually in the meeting or just the person sharing their screen? I guess with my previous manager it wasn't clear exactly how the recordings of me were going to be used and we were contractors. For example he mentioned it would help other people onboard but I think some meetings shouldn't be recorded for viewing outside of the people involved. So I guess it might be worth mentioning, the recording is just for personal reference?
    – JazzgeMica
    Commented Mar 17, 2022 at 22:55
  • You should ask if anyone objects to being recorded. If you live in a state or region, where it requires two-party permissions to record somebody, then you will have to respect the wishes of anyone's rejection of your request.
    – Donald
    Commented Mar 20, 2022 at 6:34

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Hypothetically I don't have to, but I consider it respectful to ask people if they are OK being recorded. How should I do this? Is recording meetings considered normal at times?

Yes it's normal, it allow you to go back to the meeting and go over details that perhaps you don't remember, or allow you to refresh your memory on what was said during the meeting.

I thing you should just go for it and ask or give a heads up. "Hey everybody, I'm going to record this meeting so we can go back to the recording and have it as reference".

I suggest you consult this idea with your supervisor/boss first, to check if they are also ok with it and give you green light.

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  • Yes, it's very common. There are a few reasons why it might not be possible in some circumstances - if there are personal details being discussed, or confidential company materials. But asking your boss or the meeting organiser should be sufficient, and someone should say at the start of the meeting that it's being recorded so everyone else knows.
    – Stuart F
    Commented Mar 18, 2022 at 10:27
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    Update: I asked and the person said he would check with his manager. Also, I think it depends on how rehearsed the presentation is. If it's a sales pitch, then sure that makes sense to record it. If it's less formal, maybe not. For example in the meeting I was being trained and had to swap back to my email. Even though nothing I would consider sensitive was shown, if it was recorded that would be another issue. Also the other person got a call from their doctor. To me it makes a difference if the recording is just for personal reference or goes on a shared drive.
    – JazzgeMica
    Commented Mar 22, 2022 at 8:24
  • @JazzgeMica thanks for the update. Yeah, perhaps you don't want to record every meeting. However, given we are talking about training, that would make sense to record, so new recruits or future ones can go back to old training recordings.
    – DarkCygnus ♦
    Commented Mar 22, 2022 at 19:35
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I am not able to judge if it is normal even if I think it should be fine. But I can give my thoughts on what can be important for some:

  • Tell people beforehand. As someone writes, suddenly (accidentally) exposing private information is not wanted. By making people aware beforehand, they think a second time about what they might show and find technical solutions.
  • Tell people beforehand and therefore give them the opportunity to answer you seperately. In a group I would expect most people to be fine with it and therefore I can be reluctant to say that I not fine with it because I don't want to be annoying.
  • Find a privacy-secure location to store the videos. Since many university lectures and the like were using Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc. I refused to talk or show my video because I do not want to be analysed by those companies.
  • Do not make the videos the only source. Rewatching videos for some detail is cumbersome. So if you are giving the training, the material should also be accessible in some written form that is (for some) quicker to use and surely easier to search.
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