The virus has taught us a lot, but we have to remember the lessons

No doubt, Covid-19 has been tremendously destructive to our lives, society and economy. Although I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, we learned a fair number of things about ourselves and our businesses we could not have learned any other way. I’m not saying it was worth it, but as long as we’ve been forced to learn these things, why not take advantage of them?

Like many others, I’ve limited my restaurant dining to reduce my risk. Even so, I couldn’t eliminate it, and I sometimes had to meet people for lunch. We’d go to upscale restaurants that were serious about mitigating the risk. One in particular did a great job. They had erected Plexiglas partitions between tables. It was so well done, I don’t think they lost any seating capacity.

Masks were required on the way in or out, and the waitstaff wore masks. Covid germs are reportedly heavier than air and tend to fall to the ground after a bit. As a result, it’s unlikely a seated patron, though unmasked, could infect a server, and the standing masked server protected the patrons. You could eat there feeling relatively safe — a tremendous benefit.

Here’s the surprise. Once the mandates expired, the Plexiglas and the other precautions disappeared, even though we knew the Delta variant was on the way. Apparently, these safety precautions, which were already paid for and cost little to maintain, had to disappear because the government was no longer telling them they had to do it. No doubt they were doing well nonetheless, but I wonder how many of their regular customers stopped coming because they were afraid of the risk?

If they had been paying attention, many businesses would have noticed some jobs improved performance, sometimes dramatically, working from home. Others, unfortunately, decreased performance. It stands to reason. Some jobs, like manufacturing, require teamwork.

What I find truly amazing is that major companies, many in high tech, are trying to figure out when everybody should come back to the office.

Why would anyone want to lose the improved performance some jobs realized working from home?

For instance, a friend who lives in Windham works for a major Boston hospital in the purchasing department. During the pandemic, she was allowed — required, actually — to work from home. Now, looking at it from her perspective, eliminating a threeto four-hour commute each day was a tremendous advantage. She was happy to contribute more time, the time she wasn’t spending in traffic jams, to make her organization even more successful.

This is a freebie! It costs her hospital nothing to achieve a higher level of performance in her job and others like it. Admittedly, doctors, nurses and other caretaking staff can’t take care of patients from home. They have to be there. I can tell you personal stories on how ineffective telemedicine can be.

But many jobs require a phone, a computer and an internet connection and can be done anywhere. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. What about a combination? Now, she comes in one day a week or for special meetings. Whatever works.

Yes, the pandemic was a visit from Hell, but don’t throw away any benefits you might have gotten from it.

Some people died under miserable conditions so we could see those benefits. Don’t let them die in vain. A lot of businesses went out of business. How can we not take advantage of the things we paid so dearly to learn?

In a way, nothing’s changed. The businesses that thrive in the future will be those that take advantage of present conditions. Why wouldn’t you want to be one of those?

Ronald J. Bourque, a consultant and speaker from Salem, has had engagements throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. He can be reached at 603-898-1871 or RonBourque3@gmail.com.