Changes made by people in the way they work, shop and live during the Covid-19 pandemic may not be abandoned once an effective vaccine and therapies are available, according to survey results released by IBM in Armonk.
About 70% of those in the U.S. who were surveyed by the company’s Institute for Business Value in August believe a Covid-19 vaccine will not be available until 2021 or later. Only 27% said they will definitely visit a shopping mall once a vaccine is available, 21% would go to a movie theater and 18% would attend a live sporting event. The latest survey results indicated that 44% of U.S. consumers surveyed have tried or would like to try placing an order via mobile app, compared with 30% before the pandemic hit.
More than 14,500 adults in the U.S., Brazil, China, Germany, India, Mexico, Spain, and the United Kingdom participated in the August round of questioning.
IBV’s latest survey work revealed that 64% of Americans believe employers need to clearly communicate what is being done to sanitize the workplace and more than 50% indicated interest in technology-driven products to prevent creating crowded “hot spots” in the workplace.
When asked whether they would like to continue to work remotely at least occasionally, 67% of the U.S. respondents answered affirmatively, a drop from the 80% who previously had said they would.
“Our data tells us that many individuals are looking for more transparency and flexibility from their employers as they navigate this great uncertainty caused by the pandemic,” said Jesus Mantas, senior managing partner, IBM Services. “Organizations need to focus on building trust with their workforce and customers, and agility to deliver solutions that meet them where they are.”
About one-third of the U.S. respondents reported taking more online training or education as a result of Covid-19. More than half worried that sending students back to school for in-person education will lead to further outbreaks of the virus. At the same time, 40% expressed concern that their children will fall behind without schools reopening while 47% felt strongly that their employer should provide special accommodations for childcare needs.
The overwhelming majority of global respondents said they believe there will be more pandemic events like Covid-19 in the future. In the U.S., 69% of those surveyed expressed concern about a second wave hitting later in 2020. In the United Kingdom, Mexico, Spain and Brazil, at least 75% expressed similar views.
Among U.S. survey participants, 70% said Covid-19 has made them more concerned about the safety and health of themselves and their families, while 88% of the Brazilians and 54% of the Germans agreed.
Globally, the data suggested a generation gap when it comes to evaluating the pandemic. Among those in the 55 to 70 age group, 70% believed their nation’s economy will continue to see an economic downturn or significant recession. In the 18 to 24 age group, 50% believed the economy will return in the next few months to where it was before Covid.
