In three areas of our economic lives, changes brought about by coronavirus may well prove much more long-lasting than currently anticipated.
1. Business travel
Business travel is often considered critical for the success of whole organisations and the effectiveness of running them. It is certainly true that face-to-face meetings help build relationships and trust, which is often crucial for making a project succeed.
But now that businesses and other organisations are being forced to radically cut down or stop business travel, they may realise that it’s not so essential after all – as long as they find working substitutes.
Now that employees have to rely on Skype or Zoom calls, rather than flying around the globe to meet in person, they may realise that video conferencing is a good alternative: one that is more flexible, family-friendly, and more environmentally sustainable.
Employers,…