Markham residents tackle 'disconnect' working in coronavirus world

#stayathome -- Loss of human 'touch' greatest impact of working from home during COVID-19 crisis

Yorkregion.com
April 16, 2020
Heidi Riedner

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.

Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti said a heavier reliance on technology and working at home may take some getting used to, but added he finds the greatest impact has been on human connections.

“I find there’s an emptiness and disconnection from not being able to really support those who have been most impacted by the virus other than the words that we say through various media,” he said.

That hits especially hard when it comes to the people in the community who have tested positive for the virus, as well as those who have passed away and their loved ones, who largely remain nameless.

“You can pick up the phone, you can still respond to people more broadly through social media, but normally we would be able to undertake different things, whether it’s a memorial of some kind or an opportunity to come together to support each other. It leaves you with an empty feeling, knowing that someone in our community who has been impacted by this doesn’t have a name,” he said.

“Obviously, you respect personal privacy, but usually when tragedy hits we know who the people are, we know the families that have been impacted, and there’s an opportunity to support those people, and that’s where I feel the most disconnect.”

For all of the inconvenience and challenges of working from home, it pales in comparison to the stress that health-care workers are undergoing, he added.

“We can’t begin to imagine what they have gone through -- everything from knowing that they are walking into an environment that makes them vulnerable and puts them at greater risk, the demand on their time from the incredibly long hours, and the stress of potentially knowing that what you are doing and how you are helping can ultimately impact a family member as well.”

On a lighter side, Scarpitti said he used to hear comments about not being home enough.

“I don’t hear that anymore,” he laughed.