There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in a new paradigm. While countries come out of lockdowns, and jobs, schools, and universities return to physical formats, our lives – the way we interact, live, and work – have been forever changed.
Naturally, 3M was curious about how the pandemic has and will continue to fundamentally transform life as we know it. Thus, we commissioned an independent study amongst 22,000 adults across 11 different countries, including France, Brazil, China, Mexico, Canada, Japan, Germany, UK, USA, India, and South Korea.
This is what we uncovered.
Subscribe to our Telegram channel to get a daily dose of business and lifestyle news from NHA – News Hub Asia!
- The rise of hyper-health-consciousness
We are now more health-conscious than ever. Unsurprisingly, living through a pandemic has changed the way people view health. According to 3M Futures, 76 per cent of people globally agreed that the pandemic made them more conscious of their personal health.
This is the same closer to home. A 2020 survey revealed that 49 per cent of Malaysians made significant changes to their diets with 75 per cent of respondents listing their health as the main motivator for this change.
The pandemic has even affected how we think about public spaces, with 77 per cent agreeing that public spaces need to be re-designed to be more health-conscious.
This includes offices. The pandemic has overturned our idea of workplace interiors, and companies are facing the dual-pronged challenge of creating spaces that invoke a sense of “community” and still protect the health and well-being of their employees.
Furniture was a great, inexpensive, quick way to create short-term and long-term flexible space solutions at 3M offices, especially as we push for more sustainable solutions. Our next step, ultimately, is the integration of upcoming technologies to “future-proof” and best serve our employees.
- A perpetually digital existence – working, interacting, and playing online
When countries entered lockdowns, virtual substitutes quickly took over.
This has brought about divided opinions. Although more than 64 per cent preferred to work from home, with a similar portion (58 per cent) of respondents willing to try new technological advancements such as sustainable homes and all-electric vehicles, others would rather minimize the role of devices in their lives.
As many as 77 per cent noted that they had better interactions with friends and family in-person than when using technology and online platforms. Seven in 10 people also favoured hobbies that allow them to unplug from their devices. Another 75 per cent highlighted that too much screen time is a health issue that should be addressed.
- Approaching an AI future with equal parts optimism and fear
An AI-infused future is already dawning upon us. Globally, 63 per cent believe that cutting-edge AI advancements like driverless vehicles will be a part of our lives in the next 10 years. 55 per cent are also willing to accept a ride from a self-driving car.
Despite this excitement, we continue to question its ethics and implications and want more transparency on how technology is being used in society. To truly harness the power of AI and data while not compromising privacy, governments need to design ways that allow for the safe sharing of quality data.
The adaptation of AI is on a strong roll in Malaysia, from our first AI park – which aims to drive aims to drive acceleration and adoption of AI in the agriculture sector – to calls for the application in Malaysia’s judicial system. The latter was said by Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law), who pointed out that the integration could also help reduce the amount of resources required in court and reduce the amount of resources required and help improve the efficiency in handling cases.
Companies will also need to evolve to handle the complexity and speed of the ethical parameters of using data and AI in a principled and ethical way. Governing bodies will have to understand data, breadth and depth, potential uses, now and in the future, trade-offs between possible very high benefits at a cost of using data without governance.
Likewise, 3M’s integrity and value model guides everything we do, including how we are utilizing AI throughout our business, from analysing records for the most effective and economical healthcare treatments, to using road, building and environmental data to optimise safety of workers and equipment in real-time. On a global scale, we are using advanced algorithms to improve our supply chains, the quality of production, and sourcing to better meet the needs of our customers.
- Sustainability – not just a demand, but an expectation
When it comes to sustainability, we are also demanding businesses to walk the talk. Three-quarters of respondents worldwide demand transparency from brands that claim sustainable commitments. We also believe businesses should be green and sustainable, instead of using it as a marketing point.
Malaysia is working towards carbon neutrality by 2050, but will it be fast enough? Around the world, most people (73 per cent) are willing to live in sustainable homes, but most do not think society will prioritise sustainable living in the near term. In fact, 40 per cent feel that renewable energy will not become a major part of their cities within the next decade.
Governments will therefore need to find faster ways to implement green policies and practices. Working with the United Nations in Malaysia, the Malaysian government recently established the Malaysia Sustainable Development Goals Foundation (MySDG Foundation), which in turn will implement the MySDG Fund that ultimately aims to integrate UN-aligned sustainability principles in Malaysia’s national development plans and policies.
We are stepping up to the plate. Having committed to ensuring that every new product being commercialised from 2019 onwards demonstrates how it drives impact for the greater good, 3M works every day to design solutions that do more with fewer materials and advance our manufacturing processes. On the consumer front, we are developing ways to reduce user touch points, which often leads to waste, and finding digital avenues where possible to reduce environmental costs.
The way forward
For better or for worse, the pandemic has fundamentally changed the ways we live, interact, and work. We had to radically change or reimagine the systems and processes to make them more flexible, convenient, and versatile.
This new paradigm has produced challenges, yet created new opportunities for innovation in science, technology, and design to support a different way forward. Governments, corporate partners, and different stakeholders will need to work quickly to adapt to these changes and find ways to leverage on these new trends.
*This article was written by Jim Falteisek, Senior Vice President, 3M Asia Corporate Affairs and Managing Director of 3M Korea.
