The walking meeting: opportunities for better health and sustainability in post-COVID-19 cities

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has revolutionised the way we experience the city, and working from home has become the norm for millions of workers. In parallel, the pandemic has created momentum for active travel modes in cities, including for walking. This essay illustrates the concept of the walking meeting as a potential trend for post-COVID-19 cities, and presents a pilot qualitative study with university workers exploring ideas, experiences, and perceptions related to walking meetings. Results suggest that walking meetings can contribute to physical and psychological health and promote creative thinking and socialisation, thus fighting potential isolation and low motivation of remote working. Quiet, nature, and traffic-free spaces were identified as ideal settings for walking meetings. The practice can contribute to healthy and sustainable post-COVID-19 cities.