Most prominent behavioral change
(During Pandemic)
There were days when the public would discuss GDP, economic growth, innovation, investment, advancement, and technological experimentation, but due to pandemic all are blurred out now.
The whole world faced this trauma with patience and followed all the advisories to save their life. In the entire period of 40–50 days inner and outer transformation was done secretly and automatically. Now people are eager to see their new transformed life. It is true that when we face threats, we adapt, change, and innovate.
There is a ray of hope that people will find a good chance in the outer world. During the period of uncertainty and despair they struggled a lot and developed new behavior. Let us see how it is:
Use of sanitizer, wearing masks become habit
It is a common saying that any act which is done continuously for 21 days, it becomes our habit. During more than 21 days what was forced on them-now turn into a habit. Due to the pandemic, people were compelled to wash their hands again and again and wear masks whenever they are out. Practicing on both the features now turn into their habit. It is very much clear that during lockdown people have developed habits to protect themselves and their families.
Work from home
How consumer behavior is changing the ways in society we socialize, we move, we shop, we eat, we enjoy are shifting gradually. Apparently change can be witnessed in the behavior of the masses. Due to the pandemic people have to follow advisory, maintain social distancing, and even have to remain confined inside four walls. Their daily routine is also changed. Most of the organizations have adapted work from home culture and technology to support remote working to run the office.
Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive removed the need to physically connect the office for collaboration. Remote work culture will be on the rise and companies can implement it for two to three days a week, so their employees can focus only on work and with high productivity.
Social distancing-
During the lockdown, they have understood the importance of maintaining social distancing. So when they are in the office or in a shop they are following social distancing; rule of maintaining proper distance.
Strengthen relationship
A significant change could be easily seen, under the cloud of uncertainty. Masses tend to turn inward at their home. They have got ample time to enquire about their friends and family relations. No doubts during this period, populace sought the help of their family members to support each other. They have also tightened ties to their community. The status of a nuclear family will be replaced by a joint family.
People will follow preventive measures-
“Prevention is better than cure”.
There may be a shift in buying patterns - people will demand more organic items/food. Even organizational behavior is also changing, they are modifying their setups to maintain positive air pressure and has airlocks to prevent contagion from entries, sterilization of clothes by brief microbe killing dose of ultraviolet light.
People will start taking care of physical and mental health. Masses will include yoga, pranayam, exercises in their daily routine to keep themselves strong and build a better immune system.
Habit is transformed
Religion becomes new important because people are in turbulence seeking god’s help. A new faith is going to develop. Repetitive hand wash, and wearing masks became an important part of the culture. Waves or air kisses replaced handshake, hugs, and kisses. Indian style of greetings Namaste (folding hands jointly) and Japanese style of bowing also marked a comeback.
Health hygiene-high standard
People have started cutting down their expenses. Their aim to spend less on branded clothing, and using surplus income to purchase products related to health hygiene, for example- cleaning the floor of their homes by purchasing Lizol in bulk to keep the surface bacteria-free for long hours. People want to buy Health insurance for all family members. People will take services from personal care agencies and men’s grooming agencies. They will start believing in high-quality living.
Immunity development through balanced food
The public will buy fresh food from a local eatery. They will buy ready to eat meal. Also other options will open the door for homemade food. People will go for low shelf life products like ready-made puree, ready to eat breakfasts, ready to cook meals so that they can make their food instead of eating outside. They will include green vegetables, fruits, dry fruits rather than opting for junk food.
People became more creative, using more me-time
If we go back in history we find various good examples that showed how people utilized their me time in making something innovative, something amazingly new for the society when they were facing similar situations.
Walt Disney produced the first-ever full-length animated musical feature during the Great Depression, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”
To add some examples- how Issac Newton utilized his me time during the outbreak of plague and discovered the law of motion, and the law of gravitation on one hand, and some great writer gave their best to the society by their creation on the other hand.
Various apps startups have taken birth to support, help, and assist masses. These startups are designed as per the current need of the time. People started using their time to learn the home process and keeping themselves well informed. They are now more tech-savvy and using new communication mediums and moving towards digital transformation.
Co-working Place-
Now investing in infrastructure became the thing of the past because even taking private and independent rental space may burden on their pocket. So to cut their expenditure, most of the businesses will prefer to use virtual spaces and co-working spaces.
Travel
In this sector some restrictions will apply. Travel will see some emerging trends, people will avoid travel, do only when it is must. Business travel will also decrease significantly because meetings will take place on other platforms. Now the public will explore more, nearby places for recreation or spending their weekends. Virtual traveling is emerging as a new trend. People are now exploring places without going to the place physically, i.e. virtually.
More app will come to support our daily functions
“Necessity is the mother of invention”. In our daily life, we have to perform several tiresome activities so various apps will be helpful, like the Ondoor shopping app, online money transaction apps, which saves the time and energy of the public.
Education
Parents would prefer to have online education for their kids to avoid all the hassles in going out for school and protect them from any kind of infection.
Coaching is also done through video lectures, expert lectures using online meeting apps such as zoom, or other similar apps. Now students won’t be required to remain on campus. Most people enroll in online classes and save their time and can study in their free time.
Mode of transport
People will avoid public transport so the use of private vehicles will rise. It might be a scene that people will prefer buying an electric car. People would like to move through their own vehicle, instead of using public transport.
Community development
What COVID-19 has done? Though the question is difficult but the answer is simple. People who were busy in their work or in business couldn't get sufficient time for maintaining relations now came closer to one another. They have started enjoying the togetherness with their family, a sense of belongingness has been intensified.
People have started volunteering, providing food to front warriors, and feeding hungry. They came forward extending help to the masses by providing food, shelter, medicine, clothing, even some people arrange to send people to their homes. Public NGOs and big organizations donated a huge amount in the government chest to make the various arrangement - fast and smooth by the authorities.
People have enjoyed the joy of giving. They have also tasted contentment and happiness of delivering. In other words, with more positivity empathy is developed and, society within the community are strengthened and benefited. People would like to continue this habit in the future.
Conclusion
We should see this period as a progression towards enlightenment because this period of uncertainty, despair, and frustration will soon be over. People should be more resilient to bear the shock of this pandemic. New life, new values, new hope, and new opportunities will emerge.
