The coronavirus pandemic is bringing about a lot of change, both in the workplace and in our everyday lives. Trends are starting to emerge that will define what our lives will look like after this crisis subsides.
"What I hope you get out of this is that there is going to be incredible opportunities. There's going to be innovation, and ways for you to pivot your career and change your life."
In this episode, we talk about 24 mega trends that will dominate society for the rest of 2020, and how you can use them to your advantage today.
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If we were to sum up COVID-19 in one word, it would be traumatic. Thankfully, there's something called "post-traumatic growth" that all of us will experience if we make it through the five stages of grief and focus on building good habits.
Until then, these are the 24 mega trends that will dominate society in 2020.
Escapism
The first main trend we'll see during COVID-19 is escapism. Under this umbrella, we have the first six sub-trends. These include drinking, drugs, food, social media/screen time, dating/relationships/sex, and bargain shopping/little luxuries.
A person may indulge in one or more of these activities to "escape" the unpleasant realities of COVID-19. Were you laid off? Did an important life event get canceled? Is a loved one sick or at higher risk of getting the coronavirus?
When we are stressed, it's common to seek distractions in order to find some kind of relief.
In terms of the five stages of grief, people who are in the denial, anger, and depression stages are much more likely to exhibit these behaviors. When we are hurting, these six things can bring us the comfort we so badly need, no matter if they're healthy or not.
Nesting
If escapism is about seeking comfort, nesting is about creating comfort. When engaging in nesting, our second main trend, you're doing activities that have a physical presence that make you feel better. Those activities include gardening, cooking/baking, organizing, decorating/crafting, DIY home remodeling, and small gathering entertaining.
When awful events happen (like COVID-19) that change and disrupt our normal lives, we naturally want to channel that time and energy into something else. How can you keep busy? Are there other ways to be productive?
These activities can also be used to procrastinate on the bigger, more important tasks we may be ignoring. We want to make our homes feel as comfortable and inviting as possible, while not necessarily acknowledging the scope or magnitude of what's happening outside those four walls.
Nesting behavior is common in people entering the denial or bargaining stage of the five stages of grief. If you're doing anything other than accepting the current situation and making appropriate adjustments to your life, you're likely engaging in one of these six activities.
Economizing
The COVID-19 crisis is having a huge financial impact on everyone. So, it's only natural for people to look for ways to save money during this time. That's why economizing is the third major trend we will see in 2020. The six sub-trends include thrifting, couponing, bartering, minimizing/budgeting, second-hand selling, and hobby careers/side hustles.
How can you reduce your expenses? What are some creative ways to make money? How can you cut down on waste? This is what people will be thinking about as we continue to navigate COVID-19 and start to deal with the aftermath of the crisis.
If you were laid off due to COVID-19, these habits are especially relevant. When you're unemployed, money is on your mind 24/7, and it's important for you to control your spending and avoid going into debt as much as possible.
We usually won't focus on economizing until we enter the bargaining and acceptance stages of grief. That's when we'll consider one of these six options to help us save or make money, in the short and long term.
Personal Growth
Our final main trend for 2020 is personal growth. After experiencing a traumatic event and moving through the five stages of grief, you'll see growth in your life in these six areas: career, mental-self, friendships, physical-self/fitness, hobbies/recreation, and family relationships.
This will be a transformational time for you. You've accepted whatever challenges COVID-19 has thrown your way, and you're engaging in positive activities, experiences, and education to become a better version of yourself.
When you make it to the acceptance stage, you'll start to reflect on your life. How can I improve? What do I really want to accomplish? What parts of my life aren't serving me?
You will experience post-traumatic growth after COVID-19. Just keep these 24 mega trends in mind as you move through the five stages of grief.
It's good to be aware of what we are doing, and why we are doing it. We hope you found this article to be insightful and informative, and we encourage you to share it with your family, friends, and colleagues.
Who's going to win the Super Bowl? Who will be elected U.S. President in 2020, and what year will someone perfect the flying car that we were promised in Back to the Future? These are all questions that we don't know the answer to, but it's sure fun to have a discussion about and debate.
The same should be said about job search and career trends. With the job market being so competitive, it's important to keep track of the major job and hiring trends.
Glassdoor.com recently published a report about trends for 2020. Many of these trends are worth further discussion, so let's dive in!
Smartphones Will Play A Larger Role In The Job Search Process
Well, since we already do everything else on our phones, we might as well search for and apply to jobs on them too.
Heck, you're probably reading this article on a mobile device (and if you are THANK YOU, we love people that read our articles).
Using smartphones and mobile devices to search for jobs is nothing new, but applying for those jobs on these devices is something that has become more common in recent years.
The downside to this, as Glassdoor reports, is the fact that not every employer's system is mobile-friendly, which results in them missing out on talent because some job seekers will give up on their applications out of frustration.
The good news is, many employers are expected to invest in making their sites more mobile-friendly in the coming years. In the meantime, use caution if you're using a mobile device to apply for a job or stick to a computer.
Companies May Be More Willing To Hire Baby Boomers
At Work It Daily, we often address the issue of experience discrimination, an issue where baby boomers struggle to get employment opportunities because millennials have enough relevant experience to be just as valuable, but at less of a cost.
While this is a tough challenge to overcome, there is hope. Because the pool of baby boomer employees has grown so significantly, employers are starting to change their views on the 65 and up demographic.
Older workers bring with them a wealth of institutional knowledge and professional contacts and it's believed that having a mixture of all ages in the workforce is good for diversifying the workplace culture, as all generations can learn from each other, according to Glassdoor.com.
Those in the 65+ demographic are also showing more willingness to upskill and learn new technologies, which is good because even if companies are more willing to hire baby boomers, they still face an uphill battle.
Artificial Intelligence Will Get A Seat In Upper Management
The robots are taking over!
Okay, maybe things are not that dramatic, but is has long been known that some jobs could be in danger of automation.
There now may be room for artificial intelligence in management.
While no one is declaring that management positions are in danger of being taken over by robots, there is more opportunity for AI to be incorporated into management, according to Glassdoor.com
There are already AI algorithms in place that could take over some routine, administrative tasks from management, such as planning, communications, budgeting, payroll, and performance reports, to name a few. If more of these administrative tasks are assigned to robots, companies could then redefine the roles of their human management structure.
In many of these cases, it may not be about replacing a person, but rather making better use of their time.
Workplace automation is certainly a trend worth watching in 2020 and beyond, because there's still a lot unknown about what its ultimate impact will be.
Employers Will Prepare For A Potential Recession
Potential recession!
You may be tired of hearing about it by now. You may even consider it to be like "The Boy Who Cried Wolf." But, we ensure you, the concern is real.
Economists have recently highlighted various historical economic indicators pointing towards a possible recession in the immediate future.
Employers are going to prepare for a potential recession by looking into how they may have to adjust their hiring and recruiting practices, according to Glassdoor.com
If employers are preparing for a potential recession, you need to be too!
For the employee, a recession means mass layoffs, fewer jobs, more competition for jobs and less job security.
It's important to watch the news, keep track of the economy, and closely monitor the health of your industry and company.
The 2020 presidential election will unleash companies' political side (what's the worst that could happen?)
It's fun to speculate about 2020 and beyond, but while there are many uncertainties about the year ahead, one thing is for certain: Work It Daily will be there tracking the trends.
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