Get used to an IKEA-inspired post-corona world

The National Security Council of the Kingdom of Belgium is set to meet next week to discuss the measures to counter coronavirus COVID-19. The current situation is believed to be prolonged.

Belgium has created the GEES, the Group of Experts for an Exit Strategy. Because the one day, in the future, perhaps in May, the coronavirus countermeasures will have to be softened. People have to work, the economy must restart.

Belgian newspaper De Morgen attempts to delineate how (economic) life could look like in the near future.

Offices

De Morgen predicts the end of the open office landscapes. The trend of having to share desks, chairs and computers because employees are not necessarily present simultaneously, is not sustainable.

Bt also the way we have lunch or use lifts will change.

Groceries and shopping

How to create social distancing when shopping. Perhaps IKEA-style predefined routes.

Already now supermarkets use tape to mark 1.5 meter slots. Guards maintain discipline. This will become the new normal.

But a predefined route is unthinkable in fashion shops. The only method there is allowing only a few people simultaneously.

Bars and restaurants

Get used to lesser crowds and self service. In Belgium people eat out for the experience as an evening-filling activity. How fun, how gezellig is that? Not.

This will be a huge challenge for the catering sector.

Public transport

Trains all but empty at the moment. But that will change. But trains can’t be full.

Removing seats is not so feasible. Checking if people are social distancing neither. A reservation system takes years to implement.

A solution could be allocated time slots. Will that work?

Flying

Don’t pack your bags yet, but aviation will restart.

Check-in, boarding, the flight experience. All these things will be different. There might be less seats on a plane, which means flying is about to get more expensive.

On the other hand, airliners will have to convince people to fly again, so that might keep prices in check.

Someone did push the button to restart the world.