Acceleration from zero to 5 years in just 4 months
Who knew...? Who imagined that working from home could work for millions? Who considered that we wouldn’t need cash anymore? Who contemplated that we wouldn’t need to go to shops ever again? Who has worn a shirt but not trousers on a video call?
Learned behaviour is so ingrained in us as human beings that we largely welcomed the Covid 19 lockdown as a bit of a break from the norm, anything to avoid the commute! Business owners all over the world sent their employees home in their droves and trusted them to work as hard as they did in their offices - not for a second did they consider they would achieve higher productivity, efficiency and actually prefer this! I keep hearing this referred to as “ the new normal “ but in fact it is THE FUTURE! We have just arrived in it 5 years earlier than anyone expected.
Companies all over the world are looking at their relative fixed and variable cost lines and thinking - hang on, do we really need expensive office space? Do we really need to spend a fortune on travel for our executives? I always thought that during your annual 2 week holiday, you reach a relaxed state after about 7 or 8 days and you start to make promises to yourself that you will work differently, have more time for your partner and/or children, be kinder to yourself and reduce the inherent stress in your life. And then within 24 hours of returning home, you snap back to “ normal “.
Well after 4 months - this is now how you behave, how you live, how you breathe and how you probably want to stay. I read recently that the shirt sellers have had an amazing time recently but less so the trouser sellers....we have adopted semi casual as the business attire and guess what? Nobody cares...We have interruptions from our pets, children, partners during business meetings and guess what? Nobody cares....This is how we all now behave and largely, it suits us just fine.
We have adopted 5 years of natural development in just a few months and accelerated to our futures faster than anyone even considered. I like it.....and I think a lot more people do too.
Richard Askam
Richard, like you I watch with passion interest how communication will evolve. Acceleration is happening, and the marketeers are coming back to life again.
Director at FuturePrint and FM Future Ltd
4 年Excellent!
Security - SMM Frontline SIA - CCTV - M. IPSA
4 年If indeed we do dip into another Covid spike, at least we are better prepared. The future, our future will only survive if we can adapt to new business practices as I am sure the next time around, we will not be getting a leg up from the Chancellor.
Stills & Motion Photography incl Studio/Location/Drone
4 年Well said Richard. We should have evolved a lot quicker without this crazy catalyst that has happened. A lot of businesses “practices” are stuff and nonsense. Keep banging away my friend hopefully some of the insecure dinosaurs will eventually listen.
Oral Surgeon, Dental Clinical Director @prodentalcpd
4 年Excellent stuff