Wow, has it been 2 months since we have been staying and working from home? I have almost lost the memories of what it felt like to cram into public transport before sun up to get to work and I can't say that I miss it. There are moments in the day especially around dinner time when I get flashbacks of dining in restaurants, but these are fleeting thoughts as either Gaz or I cook another dish for our meal. With so many routines interrupted, lives changed, how will it look like in another 2, 6, 12 months after Covid19? Here are some of my predictions:
1. I think there will be a population increase in about 9 months' time, not driven by immigration. Businesses in the baby product industry should take advantage of the lead time, and the times to create new products and strengthen their online sales capability. Astronaut suits for babies perhaps?
2. Demand for IT services and personnel will only increase as businesses shift online. Covid19 has provided the impetus to conduct more business transactions online. Much to the dismay of 5G naysayers, the bandwagon for faster internet is only rolling earlier into town and will be here to stay.
3. You'll finally get a seat on public transport. As public transport operators are forced to reduce capacity to safely provide for adequate space on the trains, bus or trams, those of of us who take public transport will no longer have to cram into a people's armpits in a tram in peak hour anymore. Unfortunately, it would also mean more cars on the road because people who have to get to the office will need to, one way or another. Also, public transport is not appealing to people who have high risk family members.
4. Death of the open plan office may look possible. Anyone who has tried to have a phone conversation in an open plan office will rejoice at this prospect. Keeping your voice low does not work, everyone else is also trying to keep their noise levels down so they can listen in. And how can anyone appear professional or normal when they're whispering?
5. For those who are able to, working from home for more days a week will no longer be something to frown on. The employers have proof that it works, the employees have more flexibility so it will be a win-win situation right? This is debatable, because I think it will eventually morph to working more hours in a day because work=home=work, and it's easier to be left out.
So, what are your predictions?
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