We’re almost at the point where ‘business as usual’ can actually be just that – at least in terms of the rules we have to follow post-pandemic.
Some people have relished the benefits of working from home and using video calls for meetings (no commuting, squeeze more meetings into a day, the ability to work in shorts etc) but others can’t wait to get back to the office and resume real, not virtual, interactions.
Without a doubt, the pandemic has created a flexible working revolution. In 2019, employees had to negotiate to work from home – now they have to ask permission to be in the office.
Zoom meetings jumped from around 10 million in December 2019 to 300 million in April 2020. Even with businesses being allowed to open up their offices, it’s likely that video calls will continue to feature as a part of everyday working life, especially as flexible working is expected to be an enduring legacy of the pandemic.
A recent article in the Economist featured some interesting research that’s worth bearing in mind if you plan to keep video conferencing as an integral part of your business.
Virtual meeting challenges
On a more positive note…
What are you planning for your business over the coming months? If you’re a financial adviser and you envisage sticking with virtual meetings (or a mix of both), you might find our recent white paper useful – it looks at how to grow your business when you’re not meeting clients in person. You can access this here.