Recently, an interesting discussion took place on the topic of "What remains of Corona?" from the perspective of specialist information providers. There were predictable, but also surprising opinions. Here's a quick look.
#1 Information Behavior. Those professionals who have "digitized" their information behavior in the now almost 1 ½ years since the Corona outbreak will stick with it. This is especially true for the use of cloud services; those who have given up their reluctance will not want to miss the benefits.
#2 Meeting culture. Participants did not draw a clear picture. If one wanted to draw a succus, it might be that virtual meetings will always remain when distance and duration play a role. Pure status meetings could also remain digital. On the other hand, it is safe to assume that meetings in which personal contact plays a role will be held in real life again as soon as possible. (The hospitality and tourism industries will thank you).
#3 Education and training. A similar trend is drawing here. Hardcore continuing education may remain digital; events that are more about face-to-face contact, such as conventions, will become real again.
#4 Home Office. This is where there was the most discrepancy. One discussant expects his employees to remain largely in home offices, and has already initiated a large-scale reduction in office space. Another managing director, also from the trade publishing industry, maintains individual offices for all her employees and has no thoughts of giving up direct personal contact.
Conclusion: General trends are not apparent; individual conditions and cultural aspects are the drivers. Also, all opinions mentioned reflect the German situation; trends in other countries and cultures may vary significantly.
Wolfgang Pichler good summary and conclusions. I would add that the outcome is a hybrid working environment. Nevertheless, any hybrid provides flexibility and opportunities but also complexity which needs to be managed.
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