“The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted labor markets globally during 2020. […] Before, the largest disruptions to work involved new technologies and growing trade links. COVID-19 has, for the first time, elevated the importance of the physical dimension of work.”

and

“We find that jobs in work arenas with higher levels of physical proximity are likely to see greater transformation after the pandemic, triggering knock-on effects in other work arenas as business models shift in response.”

We all know it: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted labor markets globally. This nice report from McKinsey assesses the lasting impact of the pandemic on labor demand, the mix of occupations, and the workforce skills required. 

A bit surprisingly, it is not the digital jobs that will be disrupted, but the jobs with the highest physical proximity. And, we will return to the offices (yay!). Remote work and virtual meetings are likely to continue, albeit less intensely than at the pandemic’s peak.

Are you curious about more signals? You can access the entire collection of our signal database Sonar, to read more about the Future of Work.