THOUGHT LEADER : GLOBAL TRENDS

Andrew Bolwell , Global Head of HP Tech Strategy and Ventures , explores how we are entering a decade of consequence that will shift how we live , work , and play .

A year ago , the world was just becoming aware of a virus that would disrupt society on an unprecedented level . Since that time , the pandemic has made us rethink how our children learn , how we work , where we shop , and , most significantly , how we take care of ourselves and one another . It ’ s turned our lives , businesses , and world upside down .

As we move forward , we anticipate the impact of COVID-19 will be far-reaching and lasting , requiring us to take a fresh look at trends impacting the global economy , public health , education , and the future of work .

ANDREW BOLWELL

The future of work

The rapid spread of the virus forced businesses to transform overnight . While some people have returned to the office at least part-time , infection spikes and new variants have companies assessing if remote working or a hybrid model — combining remote and co-located work — should be adopted permanently .

COVID-19 will continue accelerating the transition to remote work and transforming the workplace . A 2019 survey of remote workers from Buffer found that just 30 % of their companies had fully remote workforces . Fast-forward to 2020 when most US companies had shifted nearly their entire “ nonessential ” workforce to remote as

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHINAFACE / GETTY ( TOP ); REIJA BOLWELL ( LEFT )

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