2020 brought with it the end and the start of many things, but mostly it was a time period of mass evolution when it came to the digital landscape. From that point on, nothing would ever be the same again. Of course, the Pandemic of 2020 was full of chaos and misalignment, but it also forced industries to transform towards new formats, strategies, platforms, and technologies. It took businesses outside of their comfort zones, in order to step into zones that would help them advance and evolve consistently. Now we understand the saying, “growing is stepping out of your comfort zone”.
The impact on many businesses was monumental. They found themselves in a spot where they had to change their entire product line, create different takes on services they offered, and come up with new ways to reach customers.
Overall, since 2020 we have adopted new routines and structures personally and professionally. Unexpectedly, they were changes that needed to be made with or without the Pandemic in order to advance.
Before the Pandemic, technology and digital had already been growing very quickly. But, the implementation of social distancing truly placed the fuel in its acceleration. It led people to become even more reliant on it, in order to maintain as much normalcy as possible for work and domestic life.
This intense reliance on digital tools is what caused the digital landscape to shift and accelerate. From the emergence of new AI tools and platforms every 10 seconds, to Social Media doing away with conventional news sources, to the highest increase in remote and Hybrid work we’ve ever seen, there was no looking back after this. There are five areas that received the biggest digital shift – remote work, industry structure, workplace structure, Consumer practices, work facilitation and productivity.
Remote work existed before 2020, but after the Pandemic remote work became a mainstream method of working. Based on a case study in 2024 from the Pew Research Center, 33% of companies offer complete remote positions, and 32% offered hybrid work models for their employees. This proves today’s current workplace structure gives priority to employee flexibility.
Before 2020, the majority of employers believed that remote work was unproductive. But, during 2020 when most employees worked from home, actually led to an increase in productivity. Per Prodoscore Reports, there was an increase in productivity by 47% from remote workers since March of 2020 (compared to March and April 2019.
Employers across all industries were pushed towards figuring out new and effective work structures through technology. Seeing how using various new platforms and technological tools improved productivity, and allowed for either the same or better achievements, companies questioned why they hadn’t adopted these new work structures before.
They added convenience, and it was all implemented as a result of the pandemic. The gains brought on by these new work structures within different industries were always possible, but they needed to be cornered by an event in order to realize it.
Workplaces also had to re-adapt to their work culture. They had to become more flexible, lenient, and understanding. Being strict and formal when it came to scheduling and virtual meetings was a thing of the past. The reality for many was that they were working, while having kids at home doing virtual schooling, or had to leave early in order to pick up their kids from hybrid schedules. From 2020 and on, employers have made it a priority to utilize technology to allow for psychologically safe culture. This shifts mindset for better performance and quality of work.
During 2020, and some of 2021, people spent most of their time in isolation and operated virtually for work and for domestic necessities, such as grocery shopping. This has paved the way for a familiarity with tech for people of all ages. People now prefer the digital methods of operating professionally and in daily life, versus pre 2020. They are accustomed to the ease and efficiency of the new digital landscape. According to a survey done by McKinsey & Company, 92 percent of consumers who tried online shopping in 2019 became converts, cementing an emergency response into an indispensable habit.
With the change in consumer expectations, companies are left with no choice but to implement technology that will offer customers a better experience. Per a study by Kameleoon, 37%, consumers won’t go back to offline channels – nearly a third (29%) said they’ll be using digital channels more post pandemic.
Employees are at the forefront of experiencing the biggest technological impact. They have their arms wide open for technology that has and will continue to make their work easier. This is also in the best interest of companies – per Mvix and a study done in 2023, if businesses invest in AI and machine-human collaboration, they can expect a revenue increase of 38%. Needless to say, this new digital landscape is a win/win. Both employees and contractors are currently thriving and growing through the benefits from artificial intelligence.
The Pandemic of 2020 was the catalyst for digital transformation worldwide. Ironically, the rush into technological solutions to keep as much normalcy as possible, resulted in a continuous spiral of advancement. Now, it is advancement that has facilitated lives, and helped grow and evolve industries at a faster rate. It’s the change we once did not know we needed. A taste of new technologies has also pushed older ones out of the way. In that sense, the new digital landscape is also purging what no longer serves people and their operations personally and professionally globally. The pandemic set the stage and created a stepping stone into a digital renaissance of our generation. Like with anything new, there will still be bumps in the road that people will have to face. But, due to the more efficient modes of technology and communication we now have, resolving those challenges will be a lot easier and faster than before.
