This articles was originally published on LinkedIn on November 22, 2020

When I was a teen, a beloved uncle bought my family a vintage pachinko machine. It most likely came from an arcade because you needed to put in a quarter to retrieve the metal balls. After a few weeks, its novelty faded, and was rarely played except when people visited.

What lasted was the randomness of game play. After releasing a lever, a metal ball would take a random path through pins, paddles, cups, and wheels.

I can’t help associating the randomness of pachinko to the fallout from COVID-19 and how it’s impacted people’s lives, the way they work, learn, socialize, and shop. Some of these outcomes have been positive, such as fewer vehicles on the road, resulting in more leisurely drives. People have enjoyed—at least in the beginning—spending more time with their children and significant others, taking walks through their communities, acquainting (or reacquainting) themselves with neighbors, and engaging in hobbies they’d sidelined for when they “had more time.”

Companies are evaluating how they conduct their businesses and transform their operations to support current and proposed safety protocols. For instance, future KFC restaurants will have less square footage, and include drive-throughs, dedicated mobile order pickup, reserved spaces for DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Postmates delivery drivers, and outdoor seating. Chipotle and Starbucks are introducing similar designs.

Companies are considering how they can reinvent themselves with gin distilleries making hand sanitizers, clothing companies producing face masks and personal protective equipment (PPE), industrial manufacturers making ventilators, face shields, and parts for medical equipment, promotional companies switching from offering swag to selling health-related and “work-from-home” essentials, and carpenters and set designers creating desks, tables, and home office furniture.

On a global level, the outbreak of COVID-19 has resulted in lower carbon emissions with decreased manufacturing and commerce, reduced traffic congestion, and a dramatic drop in air travel. Wildlife is also reappearing in various parts of the world with fewer tourists. There’s been a quieting of discourse, Recently, the Saudis declared a cease fire in Yemen. While it’s concerning that Latin America could become more militarized, during COVID-19, the military has redefined their role, tackling necessary essential tasks from manufacturing PPE to delivering food, and providing medical care.

Home the new office

One of the most visible fallouts from COVID-19 is the opportunity to work from home, which for many is a welcome respite from commuting and juggling work and personal time. There’s obvious pros and cons, including the added responsibility of being a temporary teacher to children who’re also homebound.

On a recent Team call, an executive mentioned it’s unhealthy to have back-to-back calls for most of the day. I agree. But a far greater issue isn’t too many exchanges, but too few, and the undeniable reality of people becoming alienated.

It’s not just the elderly, disabled, and others who are typically shut-in that are suffering from alienation. It’s people of all age brackets. It’s students who can’t see their friends, workers who spend all day working alone, stay-at-home parents who miss chatting with other parents during their kids’ play dates, and retirees who are restricted from volunteering. It’s family and friends who can no longer get-together because of health concerns or restrictions on gatherings.

According to a recent national survey of over 1,000 Americans aged 18 to 35, 80% revealed significant depressive symptoms and “alarming” levels of loneliness.[1]

It’s going to be months (and possibly years) before enough people have received a COVID-19 vaccine or acquired antibodies to reach a preliminary level of herd immunity. One of the most successful eradications of a disease was polio. Even though the inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) was introduced in 1955 and the oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) in 1962, it took years to eliminate polio in industrialized countries, with the United States having its last case in 1979.

Until it’s safe to once again confidently gather in groups, work side-by-side, and attend public places and events without a mask, it’s vital to reach out to those in need and make an effort to ensure people don’t become alienated.

Silence an impediment to productivity

When you’re not passing co-workers in the hallway or interacting with them during the course-of-the-day, it’s easy to overlook their contributions and neglect to include them in meetings, decision-making, and brainstorming sessions. While it might seem more efficient to work with a small group and only include others when necessary, it can be detrimental not only to morale, but productivity.

A person who’s left out or kept in the dark, might feel undervalued, not understanding the role they play or believe those “in the know” are more valuable. They begin to feel more like a cog rather than a member of a team. And in time, people who feel alienated can shut down, doing just enough to get by, believing their work contributions are insignificant and not worthy of recognition. They feel boxed in, their goals and aspirations ignored.

The ease of connecting with people via email, instant messaging, phone, or conferencing software removes the excuse of “it takes too much time” to contact someone. Thinking about your personal and business relationships. Is someone you know being ignored. Take a few minutes to connect. It’s more important now than ever before.

Thank you to Evelina for her photo on Unsplash

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[1] ‘Alarming’ COVID-19 study shows 80% of respondents report significant symptoms of depression, Medical Press, Taylor & Francis, November 16, 2020, https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-11-alarming-covid-significant-symptoms-depression.html