HBS Managing the Future of Work Ed Glaeser on Cities, Work, and Why America Struggles to Build
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Feb 12, 2025 Ed Glaeser, a leading urban economist from Harvard, tackles the pressing challenges facing cities today. He analyzes how COVID-19 reshaped urban resilience and health disparities, while discussing the transformative potential of AI for future work dynamics, including the risk of losing mentorship in skilled professions. Glaeser also delves into urban planning complexities, such as congestion pricing in New York City, and emphasizes the need for innovative housing solutions and workforce development strategies that adapt to our post-pandemic reality.
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Pandemic Impact on Cities
- Education levels correlated strongly with COVID-19 death rates, influenced by lockdown stringency and work-from-home adoption.
- Sunbelt cities thrived post-pandemic due to pro-business policies, human capital attraction, and warmer climates.
Frontline Workers Post-Pandemic
- Frontline workers experienced higher wages post-pandemic, likely to persist due to labor supply pressures.
- Demographic shifts and lower immigration contribute to this sustained wage increase.
Work From Home: A Mixed Bag
- The rise and partial reversal of work-from-home impacted cities differently.
- While offering static benefits, remote work poses dynamic costs, particularly to career progression, as shown by reduced promotion rates.
