Lockdown Continues

Is there light at the end of the tunnel and what happens next?​

So suddenly millions of employees are now doing what they were previously doing in an office from the comfort of their sofas/homes! As well as saving hours of commuting time a day, it means that families are schooling and working alongside each other. For others who live alone, this may have meant that they have lost that socialising aspect of being with a group of people.


But what happens next?


In terms of homeworking, the question is whether this will now become the new norm for employees and businesses or whether things will ever go back to the way that they were previously. For some employers, the return of employees to the office will be a welcome relief after weeks of not knowing what employees are working on and the workload that different teams face. 


A number of statistics show that employees actually prefer this time and they do not want to return to the normal 9-5 commuting rat race. Other statistics show that people are valuing other things in their lives outside of work.

• Only 9% of Brits want a total return to “normal” after lockdown.

• 5% want to see at least some of the personal or social changes they have experienced continue.

• 40% feel a stronger sense of local community.

• 39% are more in touch with friends and family.

• 42% say they value food more.

• 33% are throwing away less food (17 million people).

But how will things change for businesses moving forward?

Technology & Innovation


Looking back over the last century or so, natural disasters, wars, pandemics etc, is that they all drove innovation. Technology and society advance far more rapidly in times of global crisis than they do in peacetime. If we’re lucky, the COVID-19 pandemic could have much the same effect. We will innovate and adapt and many of the changes will stick. 


Alongside our working patterns changing, we are using technology more than ever before and connecting with clients and employees via social media and social platforms. It is looking likely that this is just the beginning of the technological advances and platforms that will be used and these will continue to skyrocket as we continue to work remotely

Direct Law & Personnel and is not affiliated with, nor authorised, sponsored or approved by Microsoft Corporation or Zoom. DLP does not endorse or recommend the use of any product mentioned in this article.

Cover photo courtesy Maxim Zhgulev via Unsplash