It is interesting to see the media, large companies and individuals rediscovering the usefulness of soft mobility or multiple workspaces to ward off the fate of a certain virus coming from Asia …
Far be it from me to subscribe to what the Germans designate under the euphemism of “Schadenfreude” which could be translated by “pleasure of the misfortune of the others”, but it is clear that certain companies seem to rediscover the importance of mobility then that specialists have been recommending it for years…
It is, in my humble opinion, particularly regrettable that a health crisis is at the origin of these new reflections, because with a little anticipation and planning, it would have been possible to avoid certain disadvantages in the short term.
Do not throw stones at anyone and remain very pragmatic and factual. Nevertheless, it is to be hoped that the most resistant to modular, mobile and activity-oriented work concepts and not to an often-outdated organization are now convinced of the merits of certain approaches.
The environmental aspects will push us to reduce travel in the future or to organize it in a much more efficient way. Solutions exist for many situations, although it must be recognized that certain production entities cannot benefit from all the advantages of such solutions. For others - we are talking here about companies in the tertiary sector in particular - it is urgent to rethink the working environment by including more pragmatic and innovative solutions.
Whether one is a supporter of these options or not is not the question but to keep the substance of the business and the production tool intact. Working from home must be part of these changes and a country like Switzerland must be at the forefront in this field, with many workers constantly traveling between various places of work.
In addition, our geographic location in the centre of Europe with its large number of commuters from neighbouring countries should prompt us to rethink our approach, also in the technological field.
Flexibility has a price, but it is much less compared to the other consequences…