Traits of 2020: A Yr of Lengthy Distance Residing
While the first two months of 2020 – in the UK at least – may have been relatively normal through the end of February, most people were just talking about the coronavirus. And yet, when the UK lockdown finally began in earnest on March 23, it still felt like a shock as many companies were unprepared for life far away.
In retrospect, those first few months were a roller coaster ride of rapid change as we got used to working remotely and virtually communicating with our friends and family (remember all those zoom tests?). Other areas of our lives also had to adapt, and many companies and organizations had to accelerate their digital offerings quickly, otherwise there was a risk of going bankrupt.
There has been great disruption and devastation in certain sectors, with the hospitality, arts and events industries particularly hard hit. But there were also great examples of creative thinking that helped us get through this period. And the loss of so many of our popular activities – going to the theater or performing, meeting a friend in a restaurant – has also shown how important they are to our lives.
As soon as possible, we will likely revert to many of our old habits, but this period of enforced isolation and the quick lesson in long-distance living that comes with it is also likely to transform the way we work in the world. Here we examine what impact this can have on the work, retail, and events worlds.