#stayathome – Loss of human ‘touch’ greatest impact of working from home during COVID-19 crisis
Heidi Riedner, Markham Economist & Sun – February 25, 2020
It hasn’t exactly been business as usual during stay-at-home measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The challenge of staying connected has meant a shift in day-to-day operations for those still working.
Markham Stouffville Hospital President and CEO Jo-anne Marr, for example, tweeted that communication is key during the fight against COVID-19.
“We’re holding virtual town halls every Friday as one of the ways we’re sharing information and answering questions from our staff and physicians,” she said.
Front-line health-care workers obviously can’t work from home. For people who are, many households are adopting flexible work hours to accommodate family needs, as well as recognizing that video conferencing calls may come with interruptions from kids running around and pets making unscheduled drop-ins.
Experts agree juggling everything on the homefront is a challenge. When the office is at home, it can be difficult to “disconnect,” with a temptation to check emails, continue to refine projects or perpetually work.
Setting up a separate work space, designated work times and clear breaks between professional and personal time are some tips to help ease the transition and prevent parents in particular from losing their minds.
Markham’s elected officials boldly went where no others have gone before when the first-ever remote council meeting was held on March 27.
Councillor Keith Irish tweeted a photo of the Starship Enterprise to mark the event, saying some members were perhaps more comfortable than others navigating new territory as they, like many, are learning to adjust to the new normal of working remotely after increased physical distancing measures kicked into high gear last month.