ABSTRACT
The workplace is the domain of the economy. At the same time, the economic sector provides a place for people to earn for their lifestyles. COVID-19 closed down much of it. This chapter looks at the link between education-occupation-income, which began to fray especially for the youth and for career advancement among mid-career employees. To break the stranglehold of a public health crisis on the economy, the business community has had to redesign the technical workplace to reorder workforce priorities. Widely reported in news media, this is most apparent in Work from Home (WFH) and policies that address public distancing in a time before vaccines were becoming available around the world. This chapter looks at some changes in occupations due to an expanding gig economy during social isolation, gaming apps and learning apps in the youth market, and self-coaching options for a mid-career reset or early retirement. Special attention is paid to work-home in balancing behavioral values in work and childrearing across generations, including parents with children, coaching for self-improvement, appreciation dialogue, and the need for financial literacy to help individuals prepare finances for retirement. During the pandemic, many in the business community came to realize that the nine-to-five, five-day working week in office needs to change and that digital platforms must expand to encompass knowledge and workers’ well-being everywhere.
