Adding “COVID-19 Community Response” to the Site Selection Checklist
November 2, 2020
Much has been written about the disruptions of COVID-19 on every line of business. In the realm of economic development, this has included a recommitment to retention and expansion programs, touting quality of life to capture the influx of remote workers, a rush to virtual site tours, and many other endeavors. All of these adjustments will play a part in a community’s success in the years to come. But it seems that when all of them are stacked up, they point to the foundation of a community — or to use a construction expression, they reveal whether a community has “good bones.”
That is, how a community responds and recovers from this crisis will signal to a business whether it’s the kind of community they want to be a part of. Does it have the good bones that can support their operations for years to come — and through another crisis? For example, on the workforce front, quickly getting people back to work is a noble endeavor. But communities that go a step further, turn this catastrophe into an opportunity and reimagine their workforce development to meet the market demand. Such communities are likely doing more for their recruitment efforts than they can imagine.