Maybe there have been positive lessons to learn after all. This is a great piece we can recommend highly. In fact, we VERY highly recommend you get on the email list for The Robin Report on https://www.therobinreport.com. We read Robin and his team’s insights every day.
Six Unexpected Takeaways from Covid-19
By RoxAnna Sway | July 5, 2020 - The Robin Report
Covid-19 has now been around long enough for us to start drawing some conclusions from our shared experiences. The Pandemic is far from over and has prompted almost everyone to think deeply about their lives, relationships, values and attitudes. Part of this re-evaluation has been caused by so much extra time in shelter, watching a medical, economic and social justice drama unfold on our screens of choice. For essential workers, it has been a 24/7 call to action; for nonessential workers it has been an opportunity to reflect and reset. For everyone, it has been a massive wake-up call to problems that have been long unresolved.
I offer six major takeaways from the pandemic that will change how we think about the future. These socioeconomic shifts will affect retail in terms of understanding human motivations and feelings as well as the operational aspects of catering to a changed consumer mindset.
1. Reexamining Human Values
Many people are impressed by public-facing investment-bankers, lawyers, business CEOs, celebrities/ sports superstars and tech tycoons. What the coronavirus revealed was the realization that many of us take for granted the millions of lower-income workers, many in menial jobs, who toil to make our lives easier and safer every day. This includes people who work in grocery stores, bus drivers, delivery personnel and the many first responders — including EMTs, firemen, police, and hospital staffs. In the past few months, we have seen just how dependent we are on these essential workers who proved to be dedicated and brave beyond reason during the crisis and who have been willing to put their lives at risk to help shepherd us through this difficult time. An essential reset is to acknowledge the value and contributions of these unsung, everyday heroes.
2. Rediscovering Family
Covid-19 stay-at-home restrictions have given many families a new chance to reacquaint themselves with each other. Although for some, too much togetherness time was not quite what they bargained for (as reported, the divorce rate in Wuhan skyrocketed after the city reopened). For highly functioning families, on the other hand, it gave everyone time to bond together, learn more about each other, eat and play together. Parents have re-embraced parenting and learning to teach their kids at home. There is a newfound feeling of protection of older generations and a real concern about elder-care facilities that we used to take for granted. Pet adoptions are in the rise and family became our most important support resource and our first-line battle defense. Read More