Source: Times Colonist Author: Carla Wilson

Canadians across the country set up laptops and cellphones to work from home on Monday to avoid COVID-19.

While it’s a new experience for some, others — such as members of the capital region’s high-tech sector — are familiar with working remotely. 

Dan Gunn, CEO of the Victoria Innovation, Advanced Technology and Entrepreneurship Council, estimates he’s out of the office at least half the time. All 10 council staffers are now working remotely, he said, and the building’s ground-level lounge has been closed for now.

Monday morning started with an online team video meeting, he said. “There’s something human about being able to see people laugh and smile and connect that way and I think that’s pretty important.”

Video-conferencing saves time because participants can pick up social cues from others, he said.

“Getting to see each other’s faces is good because then you can tell in a middle of a sentence if somebody has a question or if they are not agreeing with you, so you can stop and say: ‘Was there something you wanted to talk about there?’ ”

A variety of online working tools is available, such as project management and team chatting options, he said.

Experts recommend developing a routine if you are working from home, Gunn said.

“Some daily rhythm and consistency is helpful to psychologically prepare yourself to work. And try not to open too many distracting tabs, such as social media and news aggregators, and block off time to focus.”

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