Conference call etiquette in Malaysian teams — pet peeves and what helps
by Shirley Chia·May 24, 2026
After two years of hybrid, here are the call behaviours that consistently frustrate colleagues (sourced from an anonymous team survey I ran).
Most cited pet peeves:
1. Not muting when not speaking (fan noise, keyboard, background conversation)
2. Being visibly distracted — doing other work, looking away, typing loudly
3. Joining late without a message
4. Talking over others repeatedly
5. "Can you repeat that?" from someone who wasn't paying attention
What the best meeting participants do:
- Camera on for key discussions (not necessarily all calls)
- Quick agenda shared 30 minutes before so everyone knows what's being decided
- End 5 minutes early and send a brief written recap
Malaysian-specific: The reluctance to speak up in calls with very senior people present. If you have something to contribute, say it. The silence isn't neutral — it's often read as disengagement.