Former Google CEO: ‘We’re going to have to reimagine how the workplace works’

Former Google CEO and Chairman Eric Schmidt said workplaces will have to make accommodations for social distancing practices as they reopen in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Schmidt said a “a lot” of jobs will continue to exist, but will “operate in different ways.”  

“We’re going to have to reimagine how the workplace works. We’re going to have to figure out how to get people into buildings that they’re fearful of,” he said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” 

NEWS: Former Google ($GOOGL) Chairman and CEO @ericschmidt says a top-bottom re-imagining of the workplace is coming:

“We’ll have more demand for office space,” he tells @margbrennan, predicting workplaces will aim for increased social distancing pic.twitter.com/H5I83fCFwW

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) May 10, 2020

He expects there will be a higher demand for office space, as people will want more space for social distancing. 

Workplaces will also have to think about “hub and spoke systems” that would allow local people to limit traveling far to avoid public transit systems, he said. 

“We’re going to have to really think how businesses operate. They need their employees back,” he said. 

The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 14.7 percent in April. 

White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said Sunday he expects it will continue to rise, possibly reaching 20 percent in May or June.