1) The 90s: Prioritizing Silence

In the 90s, one cardinal rule governed respectable business calls: silence.

This meant ensuring both parties were in quiet environments. It seems almost unimaginable today, given that much of white-collar work has transitioned to home settings where noise is commonplace. Back then, corporate professionals were often quite uncomfortable with any background noise during conversations.

The underlying reason for this discomfort likely related to power dynamics. In the corporate world, it was assumed that those in positions of authority had private offices or at least semi-private cubicles, allowing them to engage in calls without disturbances. Silence became synonymous with importance.

I was fortunate in this regard. As a freelance writer working from home, I shared a house in Toronto with three others, each in small bedrooms. I had a landline in my room, where I would sit on my bed and work all day. My housemates were typically out during the day, ensuring a peaceful atmosphere—thus passing the "Corporate Seriousness" quietness test.

However, my challenge was that I lacked a receptionist to answer calls. I would simply pick up the phone and say, "Hi, Clive here."

This was considered somewhat awkward within the 90s business culture, as working from home was a rarity. Most office workers operated within an office environment, where a receptionist would route calls to the appropriate person. If someone called a main line without a receptionist, it raised eyebrows. If a journalist from the Report on Business Magazine received a return call from an interview subject and answered directly, it often led to suspicion: "Is this really the Report on Business Magazine? Why didn't I have to go through a receptionist?"

Today, such attitudes seem absurd. Back then, corporate protocols for business calls were intricate, and any deviation from the norm could raise doubts.

2) The Rise of Mobile Phones and Background Noise

By the late 90s and early 2000s, mobile phones were becoming increasingly popular.

This trend brought about several noteworthy changes. First, the quality of business phone calls began to decline significantly. Individuals started answering calls in noisy environments—taxis, airports, or at home, where the signal was often weak and prone to dropping. During this era, it became a corporate status symbol to be reachable at all times, regardless of the setting—be it a funeral, concert, or even while operating machinery.

As a result, background noise surged during business calls, fundamentally altering the previous equation of silence equating to seriousness. Business professionals quickly adapted to various sounds during calls, such as barking dogs or street noise, though there remained a double standard regarding children in the background, particularly when calling female colleagues.

Another issue with mobile phones emerged: they often performed poorly as communication devices. Older landlines featured handsets designed for optimal audio clarity, allowing users to speak softly and be heard clearly. In contrast, mobile phones evolved into more compact shapes that felt less like traditional phones. The mouthpiece became a tiny dot, making it challenging to communicate effectively.

This shift led to a peculiar psychological change: people began to shout into their mobile devices. It was common to see individuals on the street bellowing into their phones, often discussing sensitive business matters in public spaces.

When calling someone on their mobile in these early days, the shouting made conversations difficult to follow, as the cheap earpieces struggled to deliver clear audio.

Consequently, the quality of business phone calls deteriorated significantly, erasing the pristine environment of previous decades. This shift occurred rapidly, setting the stage for the next transformation.

3) The Advent of VoIP: Affordable Long-Distance Calls

The launch of Skype in 2003 marked the next phase in business call evolution: Voice over IP (VoIP).

Initially, the quality of Skype calls was inconsistent, often plagued by echoes and distortion. This had been a common issue with VoIP services in the 90s, which contributed to their lack of mainstream adoption. However, by the early 2000s, the deteriorating quality of mobile phone calls allowed Skype to surpass expectations.

Moreover, Skype revolutionized long-distance communication by offering exceptionally low rates. Calls between Skype accounts were free, and "Skype Out" provided the ability to call landlines and mobile phones at minimal costs—often just a few cents per minute.

This development was groundbreaking. For years, long-distance calling had been prohibitively expensive, with rates soaring to several dollars per minute for international calls. As a journalist in the 90s, I would often tally long-distance expenses for my magazine articles, frequently amounting to hundreds of dollars. The advent of Skype, with its drastically reduced rates, transformed the landscape of long-distance business calls, enabling lengthy conversations without financial concerns. Companies began to host longer remote meetings, with employees leaving Skype lines open for the workday, engaging in occasional discussions as if they were sharing the same space.

Another noteworthy consequence of Skype was the further erosion of area codes as indicators of geographical location. In the decades leading up to the 90s, area codes were closely tied to physical locations and could even confer status. The rise of mobile phones and VoIP services diminished these geographical markers.

4) The Decline of Unplanned Calls Due to Messaging

The late 90s saw the emergence of texting and instant messaging, which became standard in business communication by the 2000s and 2010s. This shift had a profound impact on business phone calls, which became largely pre-arranged.

Previously, many business calls were made without prior notice. If someone needed to speak to a colleague, they would simply call, often interrupting them without any way of knowing whether they were available. This system felt inherently rude, as the phone provided no means to gauge the recipient's availability.

The explosion of messaging changed this dynamic, allowing individuals to quickly check if someone was free before calling. By the 2010s, cold calls were primarily limited to telemarketers, clueless PR representatives, or those facing genuine emergencies.

Messaging also replaced numerous phone calls. Many younger employees found texting to be a more efficient and enjoyable way to communicate for quick updates. The ability to be witty and control their work-flow added to its appeal. Additionally, as noted by Ian Bogost, many individuals began to shy away from phone calls due to their often poor quality on mobile devices, with manufacturers focusing more on data than voice capabilities.

5) The COVID Era: Video Calls Become Standard

By 2020, video calls had gained significant traction, facilitated by the prevalence of forward-facing cameras on mobile phones and built-in webcams on laptops. Chat applications typically included video call options as well.

However, the COVID pandemic propelled video calling into the business mainstream. As white-collar workforces transitioned to remote settings, video calls emerged as a vital means of connecting with colleagues. This shift brought about unexpected psychological challenges: after a day filled with back-to-back video meetings, many experienced "Zoom fatigue," a unique exhaustion from hours spent staring at the faces of colleagues—often including their own.

The rapid rise of video calls also altered the expectations of professional settings. The once-cherished notion of "quiet office" began to dissipate, as video calls revealed more personal environments filled with clutter, pets, and children. This double standard persisted, with women facing more scrutiny for their children's presence than men. Some individuals opted to disable their cameras, fatigued from maintaining a facade of cheerfulness or anxious about being judged based on their expressions.

Interestingly, some began to yearn for the simplicity of traditional phone calls.

I don't have any grand conclusions to offer here. The insights are about the well-known impacts of communication technologies: they subtly reshape the norms of daily life.

What might the next transformation in business communication entail? Perhaps AI writing tools will alter how professionals interact. While Mark Zuckerberg's vision of a metaverse workplace remains ambitious, it seems unlikely to materialize until virtual reality headsets are as lightweight as regular glasses. What trends do you foresee in the realm of communication? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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