2020 has been a year entirely unlike any other.  The coronavirus pandemic has caused worldwide disruption, financial uncertainty, fear and so many other adverse effects.  However, at Cofficient, we believe it’s important to reflect on the positives that the year has brought, what we’re grateful for and what we have learned during this crazy year.

 

1. The Benefits of Technology.
   Before the pandemic, technology had a bit of a bad reputation.  It was perceived as harmful to spend time on our devices.  However, technology has been a central player in the fight to stop the spread of coronavirus.  It has allowed us to develop methods of tracking and monitoring contagion, not to mention the mass data collection to help create a vaccination.What’s more, technology has been an integral part of how we stayed connected in 2020.  Before the pandemic many of us had never heard of Zoom.  Now however, phrases like ‘you’re still on mute’ and ‘I’m just sharing my screen, can you see that ok?’ are just part of our new normal.
2. The Importance of Flexibility.
   One of the biggest lessons that 2020 has taught us is just how important flexibility is.  Not only in business, but in our personal lives too.  Now, more than ever, we have had to adopt more creative ways of thinking to tackle the issues that the pandemic has thrown at us.  Many businesses have even managed to catapult their small businesses into something more significant in a way that they wouldn’t have thought of pre-2020.
3. How to Plan for the Uncertain.
   For many of us, the 2020 pandemic hit hard, forcing us to stop and reconsider how our businesses might move forward.  No one can predict what next big thing might impact your business but having a plan that is flexible and open to evolving with the challenges that come your way is a great place to start.  For many smaller, niche businesses, this has meant delving into the world of online – an area where they wouldn’t have gone before.
4. The Cloud is More Important Than Ever.
   Having cloud-based technology has been more critical than ever during 2020.  With the sky-rise number of people remote working, many businesses were confronted with the challenge of trying to get their workers online from home.  The most cost-effective and straightforward solution was to implement cloud-based software which allows users to work anytime, anywhere.
5. Collaboration is Key.
   One thing that is clearer than ever since the start of 2020 is how we are stronger together.  Whether we’re working together to support each other mentally at home, fundraising for the NHS, or simply trying to work on a group project at home, working together has been a massive part of how we have coped with 2020.
6. Appreciate the Small Stuff.
   With the coronavirus pandemic affecting how we interact in our day-to-day lives, one thing we have truly learned is how to appreciate all the small things we usually take for granted.  Human beings, by nature, have an innate desire to be connected to other people and share experiences.  From going to an exercise class to simply meeting up with your friend for a coffee, all the little social things that we used to take for granted now mean so much more.  As a result, when we come out of the other side of the pandemic, we’ll be able to enjoy these day-to-day things with so much more appreciation and gratitude.

 

The team at Cofficient would like to thank everyone for their support over the past year and wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year.  Bring on 2021!