Our planet started to heal!
If that doesn’t make you smile, then we don’t know what will. Tough crowd.
2020 saw pollution levels decline rapidly, and hugely, during the lockdown. In the UK, nitrogen dioxide levels dropped as much as 42%. This is a direct result of fewer vehicles being on the road on a daily basis. It just goes to show that your daily walks really did make a difference.
Not only that, but you’ll probably have seen the photos of various wildlife exploring town centres. Who doesn’t want to share their morning cuppa with a goat they meet at their windowsill? And fish have returned to Venice’s Grand Canal (not usually something you see whilst gliding along on a gondola). Scientists have taken this as an opportunity for us to see how we can better share our crowded planet with our valuable local wildlife.
Working life changed forever.
For many years, working 9-5 was the way to make a living. But it’s taken a global pandemic to show us that Dolly’s way wasn’t the way for everyone. Families being without childcare, being stuck at home 24/7 with your nearest and dearest – heading to the office just hasn’t been viable.
Almost every industry was affected by workplace closures or the ever-extending furlough scheme.
And we muddled our way through didn’t we? Whether you were Zooming with only the top half of your suit on, or negotiating budgets and your child’s biscuit allocation (yes you can have two more biscuits…), you handled it. You might have had to hide in the loo with your laptop for the odd video call (some forgot to turn off their cameras) to get a minute’s peace, but you did it.
Joking aside, there’s been a real culture change. Business owners saw first hand that their companies wouldn’t fall apart if work was done first thing in the morning or late at night. What matters is that the work gets done.
Famously, social media giant Twitter announced they would be keeping their work-from-home policy going long after the pandemic has passed. Workers are feeling like their thoughts and needs are heard and respected, and this has gone a long way to improve productivity.
Do right by your employees and they’ll do right by you.
Small acts of kindness went a long way.
Despite the general media doing its best to make us think that there’s not a lot to be positive about, when you looked a little closer, there was a lot of good hiding behind the scenes. Every day there were stories of communities taking care of their members, people rallying around local businesses, and just a whole boatload of general goodness.
From cheering on our key workers to checking in with neighbours we’ve never spoken to. From the endless Zoom quizzes to the 1000th banana bread for your friends, we all took something from it. 2020 might not have been the year any of us were expecting, but it’s the one we got. And we certainly made the best of it.
From all of us at Bobble Digital, we’re glad you’re here. And we wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. If you’re ready to take your business to the next step next year, don’t hesitate to contact us. Let’s see what 2021 brings.
