After World War II, Japan, the United States, and Western Europe “won the peace,” enjoying more than a generation of economic growth that delivered broad-based prosperity. With will and imagination, the United States can replicate that record today as it rebuilds from the COVID-19 crisis.
Defeat COVID-19
1
America 2021: Building a bridge
to normalcy
Published Friday, February 19
Organize for change
Published Thursday, February 18
Commit to climate action
Published Wednesday, February 17
Advance racial equity
Published Tuesday, February 16
Rebuild lives and livelihoods
Published Monday, February 15
Defeat COVID-19
AMERICA 2021: FIVE MEMOS OVER FIVE DAYS
After the events of 2020 disrupted lives and livelihoods across the United States, the country is geared for a reset. In 2021, leaders, innovators, and change makers can make a telling difference. Here’s the first series of perspectives in McKinsey’s yearlong #America2021 project.
February 15–19, 2021
America 2021
US annual deaths from influenza and pneumonia, number per 100,000 people
2
15
US annual deaths from COVID-19, number per 100,000 people
1
123
COVID-19 deaths based on January 2020–January 2021 data.
Deaths from influenza and pneumonia based on 2018 data.
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1
2
COVID-19 was a leading cause of death in the United States in 2020—but with the right strategy in place, it won’t be in 2021.
Even as the United States works through the ongoing challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s reasonable to hope that the first half of 2021 can be a bridge to normalcy—when many aspects of social and economic life can resume without fear of excess mortality.
America 2021: Rebuilding lives and livelihoods after COVID-19
Health is not only a cost but also an investment.
1
Rebuild lives and livelihoods
Annual US GDP
$3.2
trillion
Poor health costs the United States as much as 16% of GDP, or
in the form of premature deaths and lost productivity
Source: Global Burden of Disease Database
Repairing the frayed social fabric in the United States isn’t a new problem. But if the country doesn’t soon address the underlying issues preventing it from achieving equitable growth and inclusion, the economic and social divisions will only become worse.
America 2021: The opportunity to advance racial equity
Black Americans are underrepresented in 20 large occupations.
1
Advance racial equity
Potential value of closing the wage gap
1
~$44 billion
in annual income
~$89 billion
in annual income
Potential value of
closing the representation gap
1
Product of representation gap, total workers from all races, and median annual wages earned by Black US workers, per occupation.
Source: “ACS 5-yr data, 2014–2018,” IPUMS USA, January 12, 2020, usa.ipums.org
1
Black Americans are paid less than white Americans for the same work.
The global transition to a low-carbon economy is well under way. In the United States, 23 states have established emission-reduction goals, and 12 have instituted carbon-pricing policies. Making good on those intentions will require new information, products, operations, and market innovations from public officials and business leaders.
America 2021: Renewing the nation’s commitment to climate action
Mapping climate hazards, such as extreme heat, can help decision makers see where risks might arise.
1
Commit to climate action
Celsius
Fahrenheit
>93.2°F
Fahrenheit
Celsius
By 2050, South Florida may see an increase of up to days annually
25
Source: McKinsey analysis
Projected increase in annual number of US days
wet-bulb temperature, compared with 1986–2005
>34°C
The United States is facing domestic headwinds and complexities on a scale that it hasn’t experienced in almost a century, and four priorities loom large. But to effect change, the administration will need to move swiftly and decisively, bringing the whole of government to bear across all four fronts.
America 2021: Making change happen, against the odds
Investing time with leadership teams up front can ensure that they understand the goal.
1
Organize for change
... than
those who
did not
Leaders who
invested time
up front were
30
x
more successful ...
Source: 2014 McKinsey survey of organizational redesigns in 1,323 companies
McKinsey Global Publishing would like to thank, first and foremost, the authors of these memos for their contributions and analysis. And we want to acknowledge the many direct contributors who collaborated to bring this experience to you, including Nicole Adams, Sharmeen Alam, Zavie Berenbaum, Mike Borruso, Maggie Coffey, Torea Frey, Mona Hamouly, Vasudha Gupta, Eddie Guy, Brennan Hoban, Richard Johnson, Eleni Kostopoulos, Steve Lackey, Stephen Landau, Serena Leogue, Kelly McLaughlin, Philip Mathew, Janet Michaud, Elizabeth Newman, Matt Perry, Kanika Punwani, Dana Sand, Venetia Simcock, Dan Spector, Mark Staples, and Nathan Wilson.
Acknowledgments
Improving the lives of citizens worldwide by helping solve the most pressing economic and social challenges
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