Big Changes are Coming: After changing our way of life for over a year, we're not going to see a return to the good old days as the pandemic (hopefully) comes to an end. From...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

After changing our way of life for over a year, we're not going to see a return to the good old days as the pandemic (hopefully) comes to an end. From businesses to schools, things are going to be different, for better or for worse. Parents don't want their kids going back to school, and workers don't want to go back to the office. Home sweet home has taken on a new appeal, and many people prefer home to an institution.

ncribble Loc: Albuquerque, NM

Jerry, I did too, years ago when our family was growing up, but the JOB and PAYCHECK gave life a balance. Preferences be damned, we needed power, heat and light, and we needed to eat. However, I agree with you that the pandemic will create efficiencies only dreamers visualized.

whfowle Loc: Tampa first, now Albuquerque

I think you are right. I'm seeing a change in the way companies operate. Many companies now are "on-line". They are finding out that most of their employees don't need to come to work in a brick and mortar building, especially administrative types. I'm in the phone business and at the start of the pandemic, I shifted most of my companies telephone service to home or cell phone reception. Zoom and Teams has taken over conferences and we are turning large conference rooms into other purposes. Management is telling us that it is not going to go back to the old way of doing business. As things settle down, I think many large corporate offices are going to come up for sale as there is no reason to keep them. Too much upkeep and expense. Field techs are getting their assignments in their trucks by cellular service and don't ever come into a shop at all. When they finish, they just go home.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Jerry, I think some of the changes were instigated by the government protecting residents from eviction due to work stoppage, along with financial assistance which allowed people to survive without jobs. Once those levels of protection are removed, people are going to be shocked into finding their own source of income...jobs.
--Bob

jerryc41 wrote:

After changing our way of life for over a year, we're not going to see a return to the good old days as the pandemic (hopefully) comes to an end. From businesses to schools, things are going to be different, for better or for worse. Parents don't want their kids going back to school, and workers don't want to go back to the office. Home sweet home has taken on a new appeal, and many people prefer home to an institution.

Iron Sight Loc: Utah

Interesting theory with a positive side.

In The Days Of The Comet by H.G. Wells

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

And I'm not sure we'll like them....

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

rmalarz wrote:

Jerry, I think some of the changes were instigated by the government protecting residents from eviction due to work stoppage, along with financial assistance which allowed people to survive without jobs. Once those levels of protection are removed, people are going to be shocked into finding their own source of income...jobs.
--Bob

ejones0310 Loc: Tulsa, OK

If we can just get rid of the face diapers! Every medical office I go to requires that you wear one, even though they are vaccinated and I’m vaccinated. Why? I’m beginning to think that you will need one from now on to go to a doctor.

traderjohn Loc: New York City

jerryc41 wrote:

After changing our way of life for over a year, we're not going to see a return to the good old days as the pandemic (hopefully) comes to an end. From businesses to schools, things are going to be different, for better or for worse. Parents don't want their kids going back to school, and workers don't want to go back to the office. Home sweet home has taken on a new appeal, and many people prefer home to an institution.

I think it's six of one half a dozen of another. We went to my nephew's wedding on Sunday. For the most part a lot of their friends. Younger professional people. Our part was mostly retired. During the cocktail hour, most of their friends were looking forward to going back to the office/work. They missed the social interaction. One of the outcomes of the pandemic did was to allow a lot of companies to shake lose the marginal employee and not have problems in letting them go. They more or less were the first to go.

MrMophoto Loc: Rhode Island "The biggest little"

With the advent of "distance learning" when students can easily attend a class online, the "snow day" is gone. The end of an era!

odujim Loc: New Jersey

rmalarz wrote:

Jerry, I think some of the changes were instigated by the government protecting residents from eviction due to work stoppage, along with financial assistance which allowed people to survive without jobs. Once those levels of protection are removed, people are going to be shocked into finding their own source of income...jobs.
--Bob

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

ejones0310 wrote:

If we can just get rid of the face diapers! Every medical office I go to requires that you wear one, even though they are vaccinated and I’m vaccinated. Why? I’m beginning to think that you will need one from now on to go to a doctor.

Of course doctor's offices require masks. They are exposed to many people everyday. What's the big deal of wearing a mask out of courtesy to the doctors and staff? I was at two doctor's offices yesterday. Both required masks. I'm still here!
Mark

jackm1943 Loc: Omaha, Nebraska

markngolf wrote:

Of course doctor's offices require masks. They are exposed to many people everyday. What's the big deal of wearing a mask out of courtesy to the doctors and staff? I was at two doctor's offices yesterday. Both required masks. I'm still here!
Mark

They also require people wear clothes and shoes, I'm amazed that some aren't complaining about that too.

nervous2 Loc: Provo, Utah

ejones0310 wrote:

If we can just get rid of the face diapers! Every medical office I go to requires that you wear one, even though they are vaccinated and I’m vaccinated. Why? I’m beginning to think that you will need one from now on to go to a doctor.

Discouraging to say the least. But there are still many who decline the vaccination opportunity. Hard for me to understand why.

nervous2 Loc: Provo, Utah

Early in my career when I worked in Manhattan, it took me 3+ hours a day to get to and from work--door to door. It would have been nice to work from home two or three days a week. I worked in Chicago initially--shorter commute but I really did like NYC.