Envisioning 25 mega-trends from 2021 onwards (Revisited version)

Taking advantage of more time at home than often (#stayathome !), I now have more time to think and read a lot (Which is a good regular practice, by the way!)

In that practice, inspired by the reads and my own thoughts/ideas, I tried to compile in this short paper what might be the upcoming mega-trends or ideas about how the world will transform after Covid-19 subsides. (I have to say that this not “an article” at all, since all these ideas need to be quantified, deep dove and developed much more. Sorry!)

These ideas try to figure out in high level way how we will change our traditional day-to-day behaviors post Covid-19. The ways in which we will interact, shop, work, work-out, manage our time, change our beliefs, our hygiene, how we enjoy, etc. etc. etc.

Yes, yes, yes. I know! At this point you might be thinking: “Hold on, too soon to say, Chris......!"

Correct, you a right. This is why I have not gone deeper on any of the ideas yet. But I believe it is time to start speculating, ideating and imagining the “new world” so that we are able to anticipate and plan for these trends to come and/or others that will continue appearing. Transformation is on our hands too!

Transformation is on our hands too!

Without further introduction, these are the 20 mega-trends that many believe will start to be observed from 2021 onwards. First you will find the “human being” related trends and then those more related to "business and behaviors" in general. However, they are not written in any specific order of priority/importance.

1.   People emotionally touched (probably for a long time), some with direct losses. Signs of anxiousness, loneliness and depression may appear

2. Increased caution and care in our day-to-day lives. More picky in the hygiene of the people and products with which we interact with

3.   Family values potentially re-framed, re-prioritized or at least revisited. Spirituality may flourish for many (not just religion)

4.   “Me-time” and leisure time with family becomes a priority

5.   New Art related movements may flourish

6.   Life care & health care may become a new priority for many

7.   Increase in online health care / sports / physical training. However, open air activities will multiply as a consequence of post lockdown “pseudo trauma”

8.   Record levels of global unemployment, with professional reskilling and training needed.

9. New income distribution & personal equity levels changed/affected

10. New consumption trends driven by new behaviors that may appear. Whole families affected by economic downturn

11. Increased time online (or not being reduced to levels previous to the crisis)

12. Tech Infrastructure adjusting to higher online demand. 5G development or new communication technologies become even more necessary

13. E-Commerce increasing. Yet much more embedded as part of family′s every day lives

14. Explosion of online/virtual type of payments/digital wallets. Physical money usage decreasing

15. Expansion of online marketing, from advertising to delivery, especially among SMEs as a (only) way of survival from the crisis

16. Physical distribution networks adjusting to better support e-commerce increase. Take away and home delivery rising. Self-driving vehicles, drones and other techs emerging to strengthen distribution chains. Physical distribution stores reducing in size and number

17. Increase in WFH where possible. Therefore, F2F management styles are challenged. Self managed teams increasing probably as part of Agile methodologies continue expanding together with more WFH.

18. Less travel and tourism (maybe some local travel only) until we feel it′s not risky anymore

19. New type of jobs for the new order where entrepreneurship would be arising in the search for new technological solutions

20. Online learning/education expands and sets new standards, especially for undergraduate education

21. Typical F2F activities will stay mostly digital (eg. recruitment & selection processes, simple medical enquiries, sales activities, car inspections in insurance, etc)

22. New virtual communication tools (or extended use of existing ones)

23. New technological solutions will continue emerging probably at a higher speed

24. We′ll need to wait long time until we can go back to packing many people in tight spaces like theatres, events, music festivals, cruises, etc.

25. Our jobs and our personal lives would′ve melted after WFH. We are going to be known deeper by our colleagues and not so close friends. We will need to be prepared for an increased vulnerability.

OK. Thank you for having reached out up to this point!!! As I said, only time and data will confirm or correct these trends and, for sure, there are many more to come.

I love the idea to make this paper collaborative, so any other trend(s) that you would like to add, just comment on the article and will be included.

Thank you!

Sources: McKinsey, Bain & Co, London Business School, New York Times, Medium.com, Business Insider, Bill Gates interview, Gabriel Lazaro from Chubb, Board of Innovation (new)