Prediction 2021: Post-COVID Business Environment
The post-COVID business situation will never return to the pre-COVID status quo.
As COVID-19 vaccines begin to appear, it’s natural to want to go back to how things were in the ‘before time’ of a year ago. Fantasizing about traveling on vacation or hearing live music again is fine, but business planners should not assume that things will return to the way they once were. Because they won’t.
Even with a vaccine, there will be less business travel, more video conferencing, more employees working from home and greater hesitation to participate in large gatherings. The virus will come under control and something closer to normal life will recommence, however, although the virus’ changes might ease, they will not go away. Post-lockdown planning needs to anticipate these changes and even take advantage of them where possible.
How? Here are some ideas –
- If your post-COVID plans include the phrase “when things get back to normal” or anything similar, they will fail. Be on the lookout for those traps.
- Look for the lasting effects and anticipate how to take advantage of them or maybe, even mitigate them, if that is necessary.