The year 2020 will be marked on our calendars as a year that changed everything. We have lived through one of the greatest revolutions that humanity remembers. Despite the bad news that has undoubtedly occurred, 2020 has come into our lives to essentially change the world we knew, from our work life to our personal life. It is a cliché to remember the traditional saying that in Chinese the word crisis is also used with the meaning opportunity, but if we look from a serene perspective, we will see all the lessons that this peculiar year has given us:
Above all, the most obvious has been the change at work. After years of hearing about the threat of robotization and digitalization of work, reality has pushed us to try out new work methods. Thanks to them, we have seen that we can be more efficient and able to increase the competitiveness of companies, improving, in turn, the lives of workers and their performance and cost savings for employers.
Employees have gained responsibility, and managers gained confidence in their teams. Rental and supply costs have been reduced. The use of digital platforms has simplified the organization of meetings and has favored connectivity between people and departments.
New and better work habits have emerged: more compact or flexible hours, but adapted to family situations, which has favored work-life balance. Teleworking from home has not only generated greater productivity, but has also had collateral benefits, such as the change to a homemade diet: healthier and cheaper.
Money has been saved, but above all, the most valuable resource: time. By eliminating long journeys, we have been able to take advantage of these moments in other activities, such as sports, whose practice has increased substantially.
These changes are going to stay, and it is challenging for companies to accept and implement them.
Entrepreneurs will have to adapt their means of production and their organization of work. Thus, it is crucial to plan the steps to follow, how each company will advance in this new world, and if it wants to face the profound transformation that will be essential. On a personal level, the pandemic has had a significant emotional impact, but it has helped us to see clearly what our priorities are: various studies show that 70% of Spaniards now value the family company more. We have learnt to see and value behind the people and so many essential but invisible professions: cleaning professionals, cashiers, health workers, teachers … Together with the care and appreciation of the elderly.
Many people have discovered the importance of enjoying the time we have or regaining freedom. Now is the time to set long-term personal goals. The solidarity experienced during these months has aroused interest in constructing a more just and harmonious society, since the creation of NGOs, foundations and collaborative organizations. We think more about others and the footprint we leave on our path. In addition, the drastic reduction in pollution has shown us that it is possible to advance in the fight against climate change, an essential fact for the survival of humanity and the economy. After so many lessons learnt with so many difficulties, rays of hope are finally looming on the horizon: different vaccines have been announced and vaccination schedules are beginning to anticipate previous and more pessimistic projections. Spain’s economic sector forecasts predict a recovery in the tourism sector that can contribute up to 10% of GDP. This, together with the 140,000 million in aid that we will receive from Europe (equivalent to 13% of current GDP), mark the path of a fast and much-needed recovery.
We have suffered, yes, but we recover.
Much faster than we expected. Perhaps the great lesson we have learnt is that the worst of all is the fear of fear itself. At ONEtoONE we have thought that this is the ideal year to recap, take notes and move on with all the recently obtained knowledge, but freed from unnecessary burdens.
That is why we have prepared a planner, not of days and weeks, but goals, objectives and purposes. To be able to reflect on all the lessons this year has given us and set goals that help us improve our lives. Because yes, we will always remember 2020, but if we learn its lessons and plan the future with them in mind, not everything will necessarily have been for the worse.
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About ONEtoONE
If you are looking to optimize the value of your investment within an operation, I encourage you to evaluate ONEtoONE Corporate Finance: a firm dedicated to provide the highest value services to their clients through transparency and professionalism.
At ONEtoONE we have a broad knowledge of the Mergers and Acquisitions sector, as we have participated in more than 1000 mandates. Our company is specialized in international middle-market M&A advisory. We are continuously focusing on improving the techniques to achieve the best possible price for our clients, and we also advise on acquisitions, strategic planning and valuation. We are pleased to give our opinion about company valuation or other aspects of a possible corporate operation. If you need an advisor while buying or selling a company,
contact us.
