Britain’s workers are unlikely to return to the traditional nine to five ever again and lockdown habits such as stockpiling could also become ‘the new normal’ once the pandemic is over, a new reports claims.
In her report, titled Zoomsday Predictions, author and cultural commentator Marian Salzman said staff will continue to work the same hours but in a way that combines their personal and professional lifestyles – with many moving to a four-day week.
The publication, which looks at trends that are growing in a way that they will become the new norm for millions, also predicts that stockpiling will become routine among consumers.
Ms Salzman, who last year, predicted the rise of the ‘bunker mentality’ and the wearing of facemasks to stay healthier, said we are already seeing serious discussions of a four-day workweek.
The traditional nine to five week will come to an end and 2021 will see more people working from home, a new report has predicted. (Stock image)
Author and cultural commentator Marian Salzman (pictured) said staff will continue to work the same hours but in a way that combines their personal and professional lifestyles
She wrote: ‘Already, we are seeing more serious discussion of such an approach, including its benefits to people and the planet.
‘Microsoft Japan’s experiment with a four-day workweek earlier this year resulted in a 40 percent rise in worker productivity.
‘Other companies that have adopted or are considering a shorter workweek include U.S. burger chain Shake Shack, New Zealand trust management company Perpetual Guardian, and U.K.-based Radioactive PR. What a revolution it would be if working fewer but smarter hours turns out to be the ultimate productivity hack.’
Lockdown has also encouraged people to think more about those they have not been able to see and there will be a ‘reevaluation’ of our social circles with more keeping in touch physically rather than just online, the author claims.
She wrote: ‘As social distancing restrictions continue (self-imposed or otherwise), we suddenly are desperate to be together—even as we rapidly adapt to life apart.
‘Many of us are finding ourselves revising our social circles, drawing in closer people we haven’t seen for years while drifting away from friends and acquaintances we used to see all the time.
‘Now, it’s less about proximity and convenience and more about intimacy and connection. We are more aware, too, of the interconnectedness of the planet’s peoples, understanding that no country will be safe from this virus until all countries are safe.’
The author also said 2021 would continue to see the appreciation of local workers that sparked the weekly clapping for NHS heroes.
Despite the rise of veganism and vegan ‘leather’, Ms Salzman also predicts a return to ‘real’ rather than ‘fake’ in food, culture and general life from wanting real meat and more intelligent television rather than ‘vapid’ reality TV.
Stockpiling – once associated with conspiracy theorists who thought the world was coming to an end – will also become routine among consumers, with retailers beginning to have sections specifically catered for this demand of ’emergency rations’.
Ms Salzman added: ‘We have seen a bunker mentality take hold for several years now.
For her report, titled Zoomsday Predictions, Ms Salzman looked at trends that are growing in a way that they will become the new norm for millions
The report also predicts that people will re-evaluate their social circles with more keeping in touch physically rather than just online. (Stock image)
‘Covid-9 has swelled the ranks of those seeking the security of stockpiles and safe spaces. As people seek to prepare for any and every eventuality, more retailers will stock long-term emergency supply rations.’
Other future trends in the report include an increase in the private sector working to provide more community services in partnership with the public sector and more people wearing facemasks, even once the pandemic is over.
The predictions are based on trends and detecting and connecting ‘signs and symbols that tell stories and shed light on where cultures, communities and society at large are moving’ adding ‘I am hardly clairvoyant.’
The report comes just months after a survey revealed around one in ten office-based staff are working from a beach or pub.
A survey of 2,000 staff by Huawei earlier this year revealed that almost nine out of ten workers want to continue working from home for at least part of the week and one in ten are working from a beach or pub. (Stock image)
The survey of 2,000 workers conducted by the technology giant Huawei showed that staff have found more relaxed environments to carry out their work and almost nine out of ten want to continue working from home for at least part of the week.
The study, which provided a fresh insight into how the world of work will be changing amid the pandemic, also found three out of five respondents say they would prefer to work remotely for at least three days a week.
Many of those working from home said they were setting up their workstation in difference rooms, or in the garden or local park.
Three out of five said they were happier working from home and more than half said being able to choose where they set up to work has had a positive impact on their mental health.