Gratitude: The Change People Really Want [part 1 of 3]
Americans are hungry for change. Not the kind of change promised by politicians. Spiritual change.
In our ongoing study looking at changing American values and experiences, 72% of adults said they want some form of change in their life when the pandemic and other upheavals of 2020 are over. Only 18% of people said they want to go back to exactly how things were in 2019.
We’re exploring this hunger for change in Chapter 7 of Navigating to a New Normal. This is part 1 of a 3 part series.
72 and Change
Digging into the data and talking to participants in the qualitative portion of the study, we find that the change isn’t about the election.
The dominant theme that’s emerging reflects the new macro trend that could shape our lives for a generation: gratitude.
Re-assessing Priorities
Nearly three quarters (72%) of the people indicating they want change said they want to learn to be happy with what they have. The pandemic has taken away many of our distractions which is giving people the chance to pause and reflect on their lives as well as the state of our society. It’s this extra time to ponder that has helped bring awareness to the social injustice and inequalities.
The implications of this new macro trend will be significant, just like Authenticity has sparked major changes over the past 20 years.
IMPLICATION:
How does gratitude show up in business? Are communications reflecting notions of gratitude? Does the team understand what gratitude means between the business and the customer?
The New 21st Century Workforce
There’s no doubt the world of work is going to change, particularly for white collar employees and their employers who are discovering how to make a remote workforce function.
When the pandemic is over, how far back to normal we go is the question. People are looking to work on their own terms. For example, 47% of people in higher income households want to travel less for work in the future. In that same income bracket, 58% want to travel to see more of the country or the world.
And yet most people want to stay in their jobs – only 25% are seeking to change jobs.
IMPLICATION:
What are the needs of this new 21st century workforce? Is the business ready to meet this new highly decentralized workforce? What does that mean for communication? For transportation? For snacking?
My Place in the Community
Our perception of our role in our community is also changing. Over 1/3 of people say they want to get more involved in their community while nearly half (48%) of those who say they were seriously or severly impacted by the pandemic want to get more involved in their community.
This is showing up in how people engage and interact with their neighbors and the people around them, as well as through charitable organizations.
IMPLICATION:
People are looking to connect in ways that are meaningful. How can your business help foster connection between individuals? What role can you play in your local community?
Up Next
This is the first of 3 parts of Chapter 7 of Navigating to a New Normal. Part 2 of Chapter 7 is available here.
In upcoming installments, we’ll look at the impact of gratitude on socializing, shopping and finances, cooking, social issues and more.
To hear more from Navigating to a New Normal participants, check out their thoughts here …
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