Me Isabelle Cantin, LL.M., CHRP, draws from her own experience as an independent Workplace Investigator to share essential considerations for those of us working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
After practicing labor and employment law for 22 years in a large Montreal-based law firm, I started my own practice in 2003 as an independent Workplace Investigator, conducting harassment complaints investigations. While I need to meet clients and conduct in-person interviews with interested parties and witnesses, it is clear that what happened over the past couple of months poses new challenges.
If you have been working remotely or if you are contemplating doing so as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, you may find it is not always easy to set a proper work environment and to interact with third parties via visual communication devices.
Here are a few tips that I would like to share with you:
- Décor: if you do not have a dedicated home office, ensure that the background for your workstation is as neutral as possible, as if you wanted to put your home for sale (maybe you will consider temporarily moving away a few personal pictures);
- Ergonomics[i]: make sure you are comfortable (a non-squeaky chair, adjustable desk and a surface where you can spread the documentation you will need are a plus); take frequent stretch breaks to prevent stiffness and aches;
- Safety: make sure your surrounding area is safe and free from tripping hazards such as cords, briefcases, sleeping pets, etc. Remember to follow the guidelines for personal hygiene;
- Cyber Security: since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been a spike in malicious cyber activity; be vigilant about opening emails from an unknown source (emails that convey an unusual sense of urgency, contain an unfamiliar greeting or contain poor grammar or errors should be treated with caution). Ensure also that the utilization of IT tools is in compliance with your organization’s policies;
- Confidentiality: all applicable policies and rules continue to apply even if you work from home; it is therefore important to take all the necessary precautions to maintain confidentiality of the information.
When it comes to virtual meetings with third parties (colleagues, clients, suppliers, etc.), etiquette always has its place. In this context, best practices warrant all participants to think about the following:
- If possible, plan and schedule the activity at a time of the day you will be less likely to be disturbed (keep the kids and Fido busy);
- Try to conduct shorter meetings and allow breaks, if needed;
- Minimize background noises and use good headphones;
- Make sure every participant is aware of the rules that need to be followed before-hand and test the connection prior to a virtual meeting to check sound quality, tone of voice, microphone, camera, etc.;
- Be conscious of your appearance and dress code, particularly if you opt for casual clothes: the image you are projecting is important and will have an impact on your effectiveness in the meeting. If need be, do not forget you can block the camera of your device and use the audio feature only. Remember, as a courtesy to others, to mute your microphone when not speaking to avoid background noise;
- Always conduct respectful communications (verbal and written); the choice of words is important especially if you are not able to see your interlocutors and thus are not able to gauge how your words or written comments are being perceived; if you write, be careful not to use unnecessary capital letters, bold letters or emojis;
- Although the COVID-19 crisis may very well put our patience to the test, it is never appropriate to yell or adopt any other intimidating, insulting, threatening, humiliating or aggressive behavior;
- Take your time before answering an email or a text as spontaneous reactions may not always reflect appropriately what should be conveyed;
- Be extremely cautious about sending jokes or discussing others since this may have unintended consequences;
- When conducting phone conferences, agree on a protocol to ensure all participants have an opportunity to contribute to the meeting without interrupting another speaker.
Isabelle Cantin, LL.M., CHRP, is a Canadian attorney, member of the Quebec Bar. She is also a Certified Human Resources Professional (Quebec) and a member of the American Bar Association. She currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.
[i] For additional information, see for example Entrac, Ergonomics and Temporary Work from Home, [online] https://entrac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Practical-Guide-ergonomics-and-temporary-work-from-home-by-Entrac.pdf. This practical guide deals with how to work with your laptop, how to set up and adjust your temporary workstation, where to work at home and provides tips and tricks to be even more ergonomic. It also contains many illustrations, one of them showing that an ironing board can be a good temporary alternative to an ordinary adjustable desk!
