Trend Report: How We’ll Work

Continuing our coverage of Double Forte’s new Trends Report, today we’re taking a closer look at how work will evolve as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. T We’ve identified 15 consumer trends for “the next normal.” We identified these trends based on what consumer behaviors were developing pre-pandemic, as well as examining how consumer behaviors were impacted by other significant economic and cultural events including the Great Depression, 9/11, and the market crash of 2008. While no one can predict the future, the past offers insights and clues that will help us emerge ready for our next reality.

One aspect of our lives that will not look the same for a very long time, and maybe forever, is work. In mid-March, knowledge workers grabbed their laptops and went home to work for a few weeks. As we know those weeks turned into months, and while many workers have been cleared to return to the office, not everyone is heading back. Why? Some are confident the office is safe, but are wary of the commute. They may miss the office water cooler, but they’ll take a pass on the municipal bus or train – for now. And some workers are wondering why go to the office at all. They’ve mastered the art of working from home; why will they ever done heels, or a tie, or purposely schedule a commute to and from work every day when they’ve seen the benefits of working in casual wear, in their home office or den or kitchen?  We don’t know what will become of the work wardrobe, the employee of the month parking space, or commercial real estate. But here’s what we do predict:

1. Work From Anywhere Now that employees, and their employers, have confirmed that work from home does work, consumers will expand the walls of their offices to work from anywhere. Freed from the bonds of the corporate headquarters they will work from the park, the coffee shop, even the beach.

2. Camera Ready Now that Zoom has gone mainstream, look to consumers to find ways to improve the Zoom experience. From online conferences that don’t suck, too how to look your best on camera, consumer swill improve and embrace their online images.

For the full Trends Report, click HERE.