When facing a crisis

It has been nice to see solidarity as a species. Yes, there are the ignorant and misinformed, and they will always be there to try and ruin things. But nothing can quite dampen the spirit of seeing communities, countries and industries come together to solve a problem. It has been somewhat reassuring to see when push comes to shove, what our species is capable of. From acts of kindness, to singing Italians, to charity kitchens and the like.

Climate

This swift solidarity has personally brought about new hope for the climate crisis. While it is true that important talks had to be postponed, and there is still a doomsday clock counting down; it has been reassuring to see what our species can do when there’s a common threat that effects everyone.

The issue when it comes to climate change, is that currently not everyone believes it is the great menace that it is. And yet, if we can erect hospitals in weeks, or create thousands of masks, then when the shit is about to hit the fan, we may be able to tackle that too. Hopefully we will all see reason before that spring has sprung.

It has also been reassuring to see how quickly a lack of traveling, driving in cars and so on has a profound effect on the natural world around us. It’s like a person who has smoked for a decade, and yet after a year or so their lungs are almost back to 100%, which actually is the case.

Businesses/ services

Outside of the Health sector, who currently are the soldiers in the trenches battling for every inch, we’ve seen a range of change in businesses and services. Some of these have been affected forever, and there are more changes to come, such as radical technology which will shift the way we do things in our every day lives.

There has never been a stronger incentive for an animatronic and robotic work force, and drone delivery and the like. There are a myriad of services and businesses which do not yet have solutions. The food industry for the most have adapted pretty well; and the same can be said for businesses who can work remotely.

But what about hair and beauty? What about construction? What about realtors? Some solutions are obvious, particularly the latter where some form of virtual tours would be sufficient. However, many still need adjusting and its going to be interesting to see the most fundamental Sapien trait come into play to assist, creativity. Examples of this can already be found, like maker spaces pitching in to help with masks, or factories who normally build car engines now turning their focus on ventilators. Some of these are charitable, some of these are quick fixes, but some are here to stay.

Remote working

Taking one of the quickest fixes to the current climate as an example can really draw out the possibility of the future of some businesses. When D Day happened in 1944, the soldiers we dropped off onto a beach and had to plough forward. What this meant is that there was no retreat; it was literally do or die. Businesses faced a somewhat metaphorical comparable situation, and those who thought they could never work remotely did.

Now what is to happen to these businesses after the virus has cleared? Will everyone just go back to ‘normal’ or the prior status quo? Somehow, I think that is unlikely. There will always be offices full of employees. Anyone who has worked in freelance and done remote working knows the perils of isolation and continuously working from home. But change will still occur, perhaps through a four-day working week with the fifth being remote.

Or perhaps large offices will see a benefit in not paying for food, high rents, childcare and more for their employees, and instead mitigate all those costs if their employees worked remotely.

House layout

The home, that is also something that will need to change. The concept of the living room has already seen a shift with people who would rather gather round a kitchen island or isolate themselves on their iphones and ipads. But we’re talking beyond this now. Maybe the entrance should be a double door or have a bank teller glass partition for persons who are at a high risk. A study will go from being a luxury to a necessity, and likewise the playroom will need to evolve and include a white board and other educational tools.

The point I’m trying to make here is that those of us who are waiting to see what will happen are missing a trick. Change is here, it’s happening now and all around you. For some, radical actions need to be taken, and for others it is time to see and predict what the future holds and what opportunities there will be. Survival of the adaptable, I think Kodak and Blockbuster would certainly agree.

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