Our society is going to be changed for the long term.
What was bothering us before is what needs to be addressed. And this is the perfect occasion to drastically change transit, commuting habits, traffic, office spaces, schools and centralized institutions for the better.
In the early stages of the pandemic, urban density and the lack of social distancing were the culprits for the transmission of the virus in NYC.
One obvious question arises. Do we really need to all be at the same place at the same time? Are we able to spread things around by dedensifying and decentralizing?
This pandemic has helped us realize that we do not need to all be at the same place at the same time. Because of the disease, we cannot all be at the same place at the same time.
We cannot reopen the economy without reopening the schools. Governor Andrew Cuomo explained it. They are closely linked. Parents cannot go back to work if their children are not in school. And we will not get back to business as usual, there will be a “new normal”.
Here are a few suggestions.
Completely modify the 9 to 5 mentality and associated office hours.
Employers should offer very flexible office hours, staggered schedules and work from home alternatives. To comply with social distancing and the 6 foot rule they need to make the workplace less dense. In the short term, due to financial pressure, they will not be able to lease additional space. Anyhow, both social distancing and very flexible work schedule will come at a cost.
Reduce the density in schools by 50% or more.
To allow for less morning traffic and overcrowded transit at peak hours, schools should also align with what employers are doing. Classes can happen in shifts and staggered schedules: 8 am – 12 pm, 10 am – 2 pm, 12 pm – 4 pm, 2 pm – 6 pm, 4 pm to 8 pm. Even if this represent more work for school teachers, it will help keep kids safe at school and eventually create additional jobs in the school system.
Decentralize institutions and the workforce.
The main goal is to reduce urban density. It remains a very long term solution. But it should be considered as pandemics are bound to come back. We will just be better prepared for the next one. Jobs and resources need to spread around. Space is available outside of densely populated areas. Our government should lead decentralization by setting universities, colleges, hospitals, governmental buildings, businesses, etc. in low density areas. The long term effects of decentralization are multiple and varied. There will be less pressure on residential and commercial rents, lower costs for employers in terms of space and wages, etc.
Some companies are already working to prepare us for reopening the economy.
Cushman & Wakefield is working on the 6 foot office concept with a task force of their own. It is a perfect solution for keeping the office space less dense and safe, but it comes with a cost: additional space is required for a similar number of employees and it requires remodeling your existing space. Adversely, completely modifying employee’s work schedule might be the easiest thing to do to reopen in the short term. Once again, do we really need to all be at the same place at the same time?
Ford is experimenting with buzzing wristbands. They remind workers to keep social distancing. A smart and effective solution, as workers in factories or construction sites might have trouble keeping social distancing at all times. This comes at a cost for the employer but enables to reopen a factory with controls in place. Not all employers can afford to drastically redesign their workplace.
In many countries reopening their economy, a new symbol of this pandemic can be seen: yellow lines or markings on floors. In lines at stores or in elevators, they remind people to keep social distancing. We are not far away from voice activated elevators, contactless door handles and door operators being installed in every building. The more we approach reopening, a major issue seems to be vertical transportation in high rise office buildings. Even if an employer reduces density by 50%, he still has to bring his employees up without crowding the elevator. How do you accomplish that? We will learn more as we go along.
Ultimately, employees might realize it is easier to stay at home. Subjecting yourself to all the new rules and regulations does not feel natural, but it is necessary. Not all of us can afford to work from home. We will be learning from these essential workers as we peak into their workplaces.
I guess I will see you soon in the “new normal” with my PPE on, tested, my temperature taken and my buzzing wristband on. Until then, stay safe.
Updated on 04/30/2020 with paragraph about vertical transportation in high rise office buildings.