By Martin Padulla*

We’re isolated, not locked up. In all countries of the region, lives have been lost but more have been saved. Isolation has brought about very important economic and emotional consequences. The cost of taking care of us will undoubtedly be very high
As we have stated in the previous column, we are part of an unprecedented social phenomenon of a global nature. An asynchronous phenomenon whose impact does not affect everyone in the same way
For the past few weeks, I’ve been asked what the day after will be like. I find it interesting to think about two concepts: the first is that there will not be a day after; the second is that the future is not an inevitable destiny, it is built individually and collectively.
This stage we are going through has shown us how difficult it is to develop collective sustainable projects: the most global phenomenon in history has been managed in the least global way we can imagine. Lack of coordination, little collaboration, opposing strategies, has been what we, the citizens of the World, have received as a response from the National States
Once again, perhaps showing as never before how far from reality many states are, the private ones were those who showed the most collaboration, finding meaning and belonging in sharing.
Recently in the staffing sector, the three largest global companies presented a joint initiative to get back to work safely. What the great international institutions have not been able to do, three CEOs committed to the world of work have been able to do so that millions of people on all continents can develop by taking care of themselves
In an environment of great uncertainty, regulatory innovation cannot be absent. In this sense we must be very careful: regulatory innovation is the opposite of intervention and the temptation of small dictators who seek to regulate even people’s private lives. It is about the possibility of thinking about a region that is in the process of transformation and that needs to actively and strongly promote knowledge, entrepreneurship and inclusion.
Latin America is diverse. We need to enhance that diversity not only by caring for the planet, respecting all minorities, condemning any kind of discrimination, promoting equal opportunities, but also by giving substance to different forms of knowledge acquisition and various forms of work.
The world of work has changed forever. Careers are no longer built on a single format. The labour force has been pixelated and relations with companies are based on various links: contracts for an indefinite period, temporary contracts, through private employment agencies, through platforms, autonomously, as freelancers, to name but a few.
We have found that the so-called atypical workers have been heroes in this period of pandemic. Many people have not been able to use the health systems because of the services of platform workers who made it possible for them to stay in their homes. Are we going to continue to look the other way, or are we going to think about a diverse world of work with rights for all workers beyond the contractual link they have? Diversity gives freedom, dynamism and progress.
A return to normality in the world of work in Latin America would be a high rate of informality, unacceptable rates of youth unemployment, high general unemployment and exclusion. Is that the normality we want?
It will be necessary to reactivate the economy by generating a good business climate, relevant talent through various forms of acquiring knowledge and diverse forms of work that will energize a labor market that will need strong stimuli but fundamentally clear signs of understanding of the 21st century.
For our region it is a unique opportunity. I think that more than asking ourselves about the day after, we should ask ourselves how we want the new normal in Latin America to be, how to design a new social contract based on freedom that will allow us to bond better.
In the scenario of uncertainties it is possible to look at everything with new eyes. There is a space for innovation, to try to build a basic framework to deal with them and get out of it better. It is essential to take advantage of it.
The cost we paid for this episode of our stories has been very high; we should pay it back by making sense of this period.

*Sociologist (USAL) MBA (UCA) : Founder & Managing Director staffingamericalatina, Founder #FOWiberoamerica and Co- Founder Emerging