What will our lives be like after the epidemic?

Matthew Perrault
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Teleworking

According to a study published in the journal in early June, the proportion of workers who think they are working from home at least a few times a week after the epidemic has doubled compared to pre-epidemic conditions PNAS By Deborah Salon, a sociologist at Arizona State University. “We went from 13% to 26%, M explains^{To me} Room. And in the 70% of people who invented telework at the time of being connected to the epidemic, productivity did not decrease. The study is based on a representative survey of 7,613 Americans conducted last summer. “Before the epidemic, I was working on a representative survey on the evolution of transportation habits [commuting] Over the years, M.^{To me} Room. We just added questions. ”

How does Om study^{To me} Does the salon stand out from other polls on this topic? “We are specifically asking respondents to imagine what will happen after the pandemic health measures are over, while others are only asking questions about current practices,” Mr said.^{To me} Room. Also, we have recent data that is identical, but not published. The proportion of people who say they cannot work remotely has increased from 55% to 45%.

Walking and cycling

Good physical exercise habits taken during the epidemic, because they are the only activities still allowed under very strict confinement, they can continue. “One-third of respondents plan to walk more often than before the pandemic, and one in seven often make plans to spin the wheel,” Salon said. These are not people who go to work on foot or by bicycle, but people who want to spend more time outside. Are these resolutions similar to those adopted after a health problem and then abandoned? For example heart attack? “No, I don’t think so, because with health issues, it’s often a doctor’s prescription,” Salon said. In this case, the people themselves decided to spend more time in the open. This is often one of the positive aspects of an epidemic. “

Restaurants

Bad news for restaurants, om survey^{To me} Salon estimates ridership will drop by 20%. “To some extent, people go to the office less, so they eat less during meals at restaurants,” says M^{To me} Room. But it is also associated with the invention of the pleasure of cooking. ”

Public transport

Teleworking and other adverse effects of the epidemic 40% reduction in public transport ridership. “Half of this decline is following teleworking and the other half following other modes of transport,” Mr said.^{To me} Room. Sometimes it is due to positive reasons like cycling, but there are also a lot of people who are not comfortable in the crowd. Telecommuting means they can reach the office later and leave earlier so that they can avoid traffic, the car is once again an attractive option. At the Society de Transport de Montreal, ridership decreased in May 2021 compared to the pre-Pandemic period, with 66% for the metro and 59% for the bus, said public relations officer Isabelle Tremble.