It’s been almost a month a month of confinement here in Spain. And a bit more than a couple months of thinking of how things could change (or I would like them to change) after all the COVID19 and signs of pandemia go away. I have been telling my friends that I really hope we don’t get back to the same mistakes, attitudes, mindsets, and stupidity that brought us to the era before the pandemia. I really hope things change in a positive way, despite there are signs that many things, could turn even worse in terms of political extremism, racism, intolerance and other non-easy-to-treat maladies that are killing ourselves as a global society.
I hope things don’t get back to what they used to be. I hope, we can drive positive change. So after some inspiration captured in readings and conversations with Ana, Bea, Carlos, David, Marco, Oscar, Paola, Pilar, Rafa, Ricardo and Sergio, I wanted to share some questions and speculations of what could be possible. My goal? Start a conversation, and…why not a movement?
It’s hard to start pointing out topics without thinking in systemic consequences and implications, so I will give it a try by asking questions first.
A higher awareness of antisepsis and our relationships with people and objects?
How could social interactions look like?
How will displays of affection and care change? How could we maintain an intense social engagement while keeping in mind social distancing? How will social conventions adapt? Im thinking of how people greet in different cultures, from vows to hand shakes to hugs to one kiss, two kisses, three kisses… :). How will parties, and social life be in the near future?
How could our interaction with public objects and services that require “contact” change?
That is ATMs that require pins and touching screens; vending machines where we need to grab objects from; public transport that needs handles that are touched by everyone and even some spaces like gyms and companies, that installed fingerprint readers as a second authentication factor. So, is this the moment for a more intense application of sensors? Will this (finally) be the moment to add new factors like behavioral authentication? (Bert, Pamela, wink, wink). If so, how might we balance the effects of surveillance with privacy and freedom?How could transport systems change?
Think of airports and waiting rooms. What’s the proper distance to place chairs to provide rest and social distancing? How will boarding lines be? How should planes and buses lay out be rethought to keep distances? Could this end the focus on efficiency (squeezing as many seats as possible) of low-cost airlines? Will air travel become more expensive but also a less polluting industry, given a lower frequency of flights? How should the air travel business models adapt?As this situation is not just a first world problem, let’s think of how could we ensure that basic services are available to all? Not just public health, but even more basic services such as access to clean, drinkable water, electricity and communications?
A new understanding of doing business, company purpose, work and humane behaviors?
It’s been hard for me to digest the tension between staying healthy and safe, while keeping the economy going. It’s been great to experience what’s essential and what’s not. And how we can live without many things that consumerism has led us to think as essentials. It’s being harder for me to not to empathize with micro, small and medium businesses (my dad used to have one) and how complicated their situation is. But then, it’s also harder for me to think how will companies survive in a new era, keeping the same orthodoxies and metrics that made them successful in the past. Some questions that come to my mind are :
How will companies change their way of measuring success? How could they move into a more sustainable and planet conscious growth? What if we change the measure of success, both corporate and personal? What if we rethink what profitable means? What if people only purchase to companies that have a serious commitment towards life quality of their customers, their employees and not just shareholder financial profitability?
Now that we are proving remote work is possible (for some of the fortunate ones). What’s the workplace like? How could we build home spaces that set the right boundaries between work and life? Will we be able to work with any company from anywhere? How should tax and payment policies adapt? How could employers guarantee a decent internet connection and proper ergonomic health in this new workplace? How could work insurance policies work for this way of work? And more importantly, around company culture, how could companies ensure a proper set of rituals and perks that make “organizational cultures” and employee brand unique?
Will we keep falling into the traps of consumerism, fast fashion and planned obsolescences? Do we really need to buy stuff while we don’t do anything positive to reuse, refurbish, repurpose or discard effectively? This makes me think of how companies communicate and instigate an endless model of consumerism. And how many of them focus on the insecurities of people to make them consume more? (hello consumption influencers, who have made a way of living out of this).
Who will we buy to? Will this be the time when we as consumers go back to the mom-and-pop and medium-size shops?
How could we include those in the hidden economies that move whole sectors and bring daily income to their households? I’m thinking of LatinAmerica and its informal economy.
Lastly, I think these weeks have been also the moment to show our appreciation for those heroes that have allowed many of us to live in a more than decent way. Those heroes are not only the health care professionals and carers, but also those working in public transport, drugstores, taxi drivers, the riders in the delivery services of the so called "gig economy", the ones working in restaurants, police officers and other professionals. How could we create a long lasting, tangible recognition for those anonymous heroes working in different services?
I know I might sound naïve for many. But I believe, we have an opportunity to start differently. To think on people first. To redefine what success and profitability means. And to believe that change is possible.
Thoughts and comments are always welcome and hey, this is just a conversation starter!
Luis
@luiseduardodejo