Business Travel Will Escalate Once Firms Start Losing Accounts

The conventional wisdom in many quarters is that "nothing will be the same" post-Covid. It is counter-intuitive, but I am betting that not so much change will be permanent, beyond those trends already happening before the pandemic. 



That is not to say "no changes" will be permanent, simply that the magnitude will likely not be as great as some believe. Consider business travel, where many now believe "never" will return to former levels. Yes, there will be reluctance, for a while. 



But once competitors start taking accounts, businesses will do what they believe they must do to defend market share. Working from home will remain popular among employees until promotions start to favor those who are "in the office." 



Up to this point, with lockdowns, every company has been on a level playing field. In the short term, productivity slippage has not been seen. Whether than remains true longer term is the question. Will some firms benefit more than others from informal interactions at work?



That always is said to be advantages of employees bumping into others they do not typically work with. After the pandemic, when firms will have choices, how will perceived advantages be seized? And how much "life as before" might play a role in providing advantages?