There are few things from the ‘before times’ that I miss more than travel. Business and speaking took me around the world, and while I never took it for granted, I couldn’t have anticipated how much the absence thereof would affect my sense of identity. It’s been a rough 11 months on the ground, but I have hope for our return to the skies. A few predictions:
- Trips will be longer and more intentional – we won’t pinball around the way we used to.
- We’ll seek more comfort – sterile hotel rooms won’t cut it. Creative work spaces and home-like resources will be key differentiators.
- Smaller teams can adapt to this lifestyle easier – building or transitioning to remote first is easier than moving teams of thousands to a new structure. That said, it’s possible and probably necessary for retention.
- Remote work is there to stay – the old way of working wasn’t inclusive, and it’s time we realize that. Remote work accommodates a far more diverse workforce (parents, different ages, those with disabilities, etc.)
- Internet, internet, internet – we all know how much a dependable connection matters after a year on zoom.
We also had the opportunity to learn from our audience of 250+ about the business styles they had before the pandemic:
This group was statistically a bit more remote-friendly than the workforce overall (studies show 3-5% of work was done remote before the Pandemic.) You can watch the full discussion here.
How has the pandemic impacted your business travel? What do you think the future holds for us road warriors? Where will you go first? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
