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Rising mental health concerns: why support should be ongoing

This is an exceptionally challenging time for all of us.

We continue to provide up-to-date information to help those looking to overcome disconnect with their customers and gain insight into how their digital lives have changed.

Recently, in the second wave of our international study fielded in 17 markets between March 31 – April 2, we noted the pandemic is having a resulting knock-on effect on the mental and physical wellbeing of individuals.

As we’ve previously documented, mental health is just as important as physical during the coronavirus crisis, and this is beginning to filter into campaigns. Both on the non-profit side (like Public Health England’s “Every Mind Matters”) and the commercial side (like ITV’s “Britain Get Talking” campaign).

Casting our eyes over UK and U.S. internet users, we shed light on the state of mental health in these markets – including who may be in need of support – and how varying coping mechanisms are helping struggling individuals to adapt.

As with all our dedicated research on this topic, the data and reports are free and ungated for everyone to access – with our full health report available here.

Coronavirus has amplified pre-outbreak mental health concerns.

Unsurprisingly, the greatest concern for UK and U.S. internet users overall is the thought of themselves becoming seriously ill from the virus (64% say this).

But outside of the virus affecting themselves or others in a critical manner, we begin to see where else the pandemic is taking its toll.

Around a quarter (23%) of UK and U.S. internet users cite declining mental health as a major personal concern at this time.

For many, this concern isn’t just a pessimistic thought and has already translated into a real issue.

Of those concerned about their mental health, a staggering 79% say it has already worsened to some capacity.

While this is evident in both markets, declining mental health among concerned individuals rises to 86% in the UK while falling to 76% in the U.S.

Different lockdown restrictions, action from governments and the availability of healthcare services are sure to impact group attitudes differently, but it’s clear to see the rising concern over mental health is far-reaching in this time of crisis.

But even if we focus on everyone, regardless of whether they’ve expressed a concern or not, we’re still seeing high figures of worsening mental health: nearly half of Gen Zs, Gen Xers and baby boomers say their mental health has worsened during the crisis, while this falls to just under 4 in 10 for millennials.

COVID-19’s effect on mental health

% of internet users aged 18-64 who say their mental health has been affected to any capacity during the coronavirus crisis

	Gen Z (18-23)	millennials (24 -37)	Gen X (38-56)	Baby boomers (57-64)
Greatly Worsened	10	9	7	4
Slightly worsened	39	29	41	45
Not been affected	40	49	42	49
Slightly improved	8	9	7	2
Greatly improved	3	4	3	1
NET Worsened:	49	38	48	49
NET Improved:	11	13	10	3

Source: GlobalWebIndex April 9-14 2020. Question: How would you say that your mental health has been affected, if at all, during the coronavirus crisis? Base: 462 Gen Zs (aged 18-23), 1,684 millennials (aged 24-37), 1,348 Gen X (aged 38-56), 211 Baby boomers (aged 57-64).

From our ongoing research, Gen Z typically report experiencing mental health problems the most – just under 1 in 4 say they have a mental health condition. This number falls with each generation to less than 1 in 10 baby boomers.

Given this sharp incline in mental health deterioration isn’t unique to a single age group, it’s clear the mental effects of COVID-19 don’t discriminate.

But triggers are different for each group.

For younger audiences, it’s likely a case of uncertainty – with exams, college applications and jobs hanging in the balance, Gen Z’s 50% greater likelihood of feeling increased panic at this time is well-founded.

In the case of boomers – who are the more at-risk group health wise – 46% feel increased anxiety. And, in line with their greatest concerns, two thirds are worried about either family members or themselves falling seriously sick from the virus.

Perhaps surprisingly, boomers are less likely to experience loneliness (37% say this) compared to Gen Z (46%). Many mental health campaigns understandably focus on reaching out to elderly individuals, who face extended periods of self-isolation.

But loneliness is hitting younger age groups hard as well.

The resounding complications on mental health among younger generations aren’t likely to be short-lived; the coronavirus outbreak is potentially generation-defining, just as the 2008 financial crisis was for millennials. For Gen Z, it looks as though uncertainty about how the crisis ultimately affects their future will have a lasting impact.

At present, mental health is a greater threat than ever, and should be addressed with the same seriousness as the virus itself.

But it’s also worth thinking about the impact on younger age groups, many of whom have seen some pivotal life events – like exams, graduations and first jobs – be postponed.

Coping mechanisms can contribute towards a positive state of mental health.

Despite increased use of digital media from the beginning of coronavirus-induced lockdowns, for those who are now entering a second month indoors, overloading on screen time isn’t necessarily a positive solution to a difficult problem.

Among those with improved, unchanged and worsening mental states, we see variation in the number of activities undertaken to keep positive, and the activities they each did less than normal.

A correlation between the two helps us gather insight on the factors most likely to influence consumers’ current state of mental health, and what more can be done to assist them.

Physical health is a natural aide to mental health

% of those whose mental health has worsened/improved are doing the following health behaviors less than they normally would/to look after their mental health

Improved mental health	Audience %	Index
Talking to a therapist or other mental health professional	16	1.82
Tracking my sleep	27	1.67
Meditating	36	1.33
Journaling / keeping a diary	16	1.29
Practicing yoga / pilates	26	1.21
Worsened mental health	Audience %	Index
Exercising less	27	1.39
Eating less healthy foods (i.e. replacing these with more unhealthy foods)	26	1.38
Sleeping less	33	1.31
Eating less regular meals	24	1.28
Speaking to friends / family less often	25	1.25

Source: GlobalWebIndex April 9-14 2020. Question: Have you been doing less of any of the following health behaviors than you normally would, as a result of the outbreak? | Which of the following things, if any, are you doing to look after your mental health while at home during this time? Base: 371 with improved mental health and 1,736 with worsened mental health of 18-64 UK and U.S. internet users.

The most popular coping method overall is talking to friends and family – 65% of UK and U.S. internet users say this.

Whether this is online, over the phone or in-person, the act of socializing is something the majority in both markets value – and need – with communication made more possible thanks to assistance from charities and volunteers.

The importance of connecting with one another is even more evident when we look at the factors which impact psychological wellbeing in a negative way.

Those reporting worsened mental state due to the outbreak are 25% more likely to be talking to friends/family less, demonstrating a link between lack of social interaction and declining mental health.

Though many efforts centered around dealing with feelings of loneliness and staying connected and loneliness appear geared toward older individuals, it’s worth noting Gen Z lead for worsened mental health.

This proves younger audiences need as much connection as their older counterparts. They may be more used to social media and keeping in touch virtually, but they’re not immune to feeling isolated.

Aside from staying in touch with friends and family, even more pronounced are the effects of a lack of exercise.

For example, just 18% of individuals with improved mental health say they’re exercising less, whereas this rising dramatically to 27% for those whose mental health has worsened.

Individuals with worsened mental health are 39% more likely than the average to say they’re exercising less.

The link between a positive mental state and active lifestyle is well documented, but, in a time of lockdown and restricted public contact, taking the time to remain physically active can prove more beneficial than ever.

From our research, it’s clear the trend in avoiding a healthy lifestyle contributes to even further negative mental repercussions.

Of the individuals whose mental health declined, 27% say they’re eating less healthily – 38% more likely than average. This is far ahead of those with improved (16%) and unchanged mental health (12%).

Additionally, a lack of sleep is almost unanimous with declining mental health, with a third of individuals in this group saying they’re sleeping less – 31% more likely than average.

As we noted earlier, use of digital media has skyrocketed, with round-the-clock news updates surrounding the uncertain nature of the outbreak. But the temptation to remain informed and connected all the time could have a knock-on effect on the sleep patterns of individuals.

With lockdowns now being measured in months, and not weeks, there may be a need for media providers to balance information and entertainment with recognition of the impact of screen time.

Among those who mental health has improved, tracking their sleep patterns appears to be a priority, with 27% saying they tried this method – 67% more likely than average.

While for those experiencing a decline in their mental health, just 13% are tracking their sleep.

For those who prefer a more traditional route, meditation – a common sleep remedy – is proving popular among improving or unchanged individuals with the former 33% more likely to be engaging in some form of meditation.

Importantly, outside of activities central to maintaining physical health and fitness, the pursuit of hobbies, pastimes and chores provide those who aren’t exercise-centric with an alternative to control their mental health.

No matter how individuals choose to cope, it’s clear that some – particularly those concerned with maintaining physical and mental health – are coping more successfully than others.

But it’s important not to mistake coping with that of a permanent solution – this particular fight against mental health is ongoing, and only just beginning.

Who should shoulder the responsibility for mental health?

We’ve seen just how impactful the coronavirus outbreak has been on individual’s mental health, but though it’s likely figures will fall after the crisis ends, this doesn’t necessarily mean a return to normal.

Evidence from previous times of crisis – such as the similar SARS outbreak in 2002-2003 – suggests these events exert a heavy toll on mental health for the foreseeable future. As such, the onus is on multiple parties to support individuals and prevent a future disaster.

Responsibility is relatively spread across a number of groups or institutions, but according to all UK and U.S. respondents, supporting people’s mental health is primarily considered the responsibility of governments (53%) and healthcare providers (48%).

Even when viewed across groups with different levels of mental health, these two remain ahead, but there’s sizeable differences outside of these two sectors.

Everyone has a part to play

% of UK & U.S. internet users who say the following groups/institutions should be doing more to support people’s mental health at this time

	%
The government	52
Healthcare providers	46
Employers	35
News outlets / traditional media	32
Social media companies	31
Schools / universities	26
Brands / corporations	23
Charities	20
None of these	12

Source: GlobalWebIndex April 9-14 2020. Question: Do you think any of the following groups / institutions should be doing more to support people’s mental health at this time? Base: 3,705 UK and U.S. internet users aged 18 – 64.

While nearly 4 in 10 of those with improved mental health say social media companies should be doing more, this falls to 3 in 10 for those whose mental health declined, suggesting preconceptions about social media’s role in mental health is less pronounced than some might think.

Instead, it’s Gen Zs with declining mental health who feel social media companies are responsible – nearly 4 in 10 say this, 17% more likely than average – which is likely due to this age group’s higher likelihood to use social media than others.

The same is true for news and media outlets, of which 1 in 4 UK and U.S. internet users believe should be doing more, and over a third of improved mental health users say the same.

But given just 1 in 5 UK and U.S. respondents say charities should be doing more, the lowest overall among respondents, expectations are high for news outlets and social media companies by comparison.

As demand for frequent news updates increases, the media’s role in the mental health outbreak can potentially be just as detrimental as it is positive, and both social media and the news have to consider the feelings of their audiences as we continue through this uncertain period.

The diversity and range of opinion as to who should provide more support shows that, while governments and healthcare services have a huge responsibility, this is an issue requiring everyone’s – and every entity’s – support.

While it’s clear that everyone can do more, the individual still holds an element of responsibility, and there’s evidence to suggest that habits being developed in this difficult time are going to stick.

For example, across all audiences of varying mental states, around 4 in 10 say they intend to keep eating healthy food and exercising frequently, both of which we found to be beneficial in controlling mental health.

Just as positive habits are being formed and sustained among individuals, efforts made to support individuals during this time should also aim to be carried out long after the crisis ends.

Those providing the support need to remember this isn’t a one-off situation, as historical examples from previous health crises show that mental health can be impacted in the long-term.

We’re all in this together, and despite the severity of the situation now, it’ll be equally as important to take good care of ourselves and others in the aftermath of COVID-19.

If you are experiencing symptoms or need support, take a look at the Mind (UK) and Mental Health America websites for ways you can seek help.

Why online shopping needs to get personal

Stefani Lanteri

Prior to the COVID-19 global health crisis, the online shopping landscape was becoming a very crowded and competitive place.

Now, ecommerce saturation is experiencing a new peak: we can see that in 17 markets, 36% of those who weren’t shopping online before the crisis now report doing so.

Amid panic-buying and stockpiling of goods, with retailers forced to shut physical stores – shifting their focus to online trade exclusively – there’s an even greater dependence on online stores.

But, as ecommerce capabilities have become more sophisticated over time, so too have consumers’ expectations.

According to our ongoing research, 31% of consumers want brands to offer customized or personalized products.

Consumers are far less willing to accept a blanket approach to messaging too. Therefore, brands who strive to provide a more personal online shopping experience are the best equipped to withstand the competition.

Here, we delve into why segmentation and attitudinal data are the first steps to implementing personalized tactics – and how to go about it.

The current online shopping landscape, as shaped by COVID-19.

It’s too early in the pandemic to be making absolute statements about what the world and consumer behaviors will look like once the outbreak passes, but we can provide a summary of the online shopping landscape at present.

Across 17 markets, almost 1 in 2 are doing more online shopping amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Consumers’ existing shopping habits factor into this: close to 50% of those who were visiting Amazon or eBay before the outbreak report increases in online shopping.

In the custom coronavirus-focused survey we fielded across 17 markets from March 31- April 2, the prevalence of consumers engaging in any form of online shopping is high.

Millennials are the most likely to say they’ve been shopping online more because of the outbreak, with 51% reportedly doing so.

In terms of what specifically each demographic is going online more to buy, millennials lead for increased shopping of virtually all the categories we track.

By gender, men lead for the purchasing of alcohol and home appliances online, whereas women are ahead for beauty/cosmetics products.

When we look at online shopping behaviors by income, doing more online shopping is skewed towards those with a higher income (32%) versus those with a lower income (18%).

Among those who report shopping online more, there’s a clear focus on essentials, with food/grocery products, household essentials and personal care products topping the list.

They’re also going online more to purchase other retail categories we track:

19% shop online more for clothes.
17% shop online more for entertainment items (books, films etc).
15% shop online more for cosmetics/beauty products.

While purchasing essential items is front of mind for obvious reasons, our research shows consumers continue to purchase various different items online amid the outbreak.

For independent record store Sister Ray, online sales were previously only a small part of their revenue. But the company has seen a slight spike in online orders being placed, presumably from customers doing what they can to support their favorite local businesses in these exceptional circumstances.

This is good news for retailers across various industries, as it shows consumers’ appetite for purchasing non-essential goods hasn’t diminished.

Our data clearly reflects this – 60% of internet users across the 17 countries approve of brands selling non-essential items via their websites.

Why personalization is an advantage for any retailer.

Personalization is profitable.

In ecommerce, personalization is about harnessing the power of consumer data to provide tailored experiences to online shoppers.

The end goal is to provide an experience that appeals to individuals based on their needs, priorities and preferences. In other words, incentivizing customers by presenting an offer too good to resist.

Hence, personalization is fundamental to attracting, acquiring, and encouraging customers to make a purchase.

Our research shows:

16% discover brands via personalized purchase recommendations on websites.
50% tend to opt for personalized loyalty rewards from brands.
24% would be most motivated to promote a brand online when something is relevant to their own interests.
Even among ad-blockers, relatively few block ads to avoid personalized marketing; it’s actually the least cited reason for doing so.

Customer segmentation is the gateway to personalization.

Consumers spend around 6 ¾ hours online per day, spread equally across mobiles and PCs/laptops. While online, consumers average 2 ½ hours minutes per day on social channels.

Though the opportunity to reach different audiences is growing, especially in the online space,

there’s no doubt consumers are becoming increasingly more savvy. Their rejection of blanket advertising isn’t new (it’s a contributing factor in why 48% used ad-blockers in the past month), but – more recently – our research tells us consumers expect:

More tailored content.
Seamless purchase journeys.
A one-to-one relationship with the brands they favor.

Thankfully, personalized marketing can help retailers overcome these challenges.

As for knowing where these opportunities for providing personalization are, these clues are discoverable during segmentation – a process all modern businesses should be investing in.

Whether starting broad, or diving down into the most complex segments you can think of, segmentation is a crucial means of organizing like-minded individuals who share attributes.

Each consumer segment (or ‘group’) warrants its own personalized approach, determined by the tastes, needs and motivations of those within it.

The goal of segmentation is to meet your customers where they’re at.

In practice, this means providing a tailored end-to-end ecommerce shopping experience at every touchpoint.

By undergoing segmentation, brands can uncover new opportunities to strengthen their relationship with consumers – and help them stand out from the rest.

Demographic segmentation however, won’t cut it. Though simple to define, it’s almost impossible to change or influence behaviors through advertising based on demographic segmentation alone. Consumers are simply much more complex than their age, income or location.

Neither will behavioral segmentation. It’s possible to change or influence behaviors through advertising based on behavioral segmentation, but only to a certain extent. Rather than just observe their actions, ecommerce marketers need to know why consumers do things, as this is key to reaching them on an emotional level.

This is where attitudinal segmentation comes in. In this instance, segmenting attitudinally will help marketers uncover in detail what customers value most in an online shopping experience.

Consequently, these insights:

Show which ecommerce personalization features are priority for each audience segment (personalizing the homepage and navigation, or re-targeting consumers before or after they’ve left your ecommerce website, for example).
Will inspire your approach to messaging and advertising to be as tailored as possible.

As an example of how this theory works in action, our coronavirus research tells us 10% of consumers cite shopping online more during the outbreak to ‘treat’ themselves. Though this audience can be further segmented by attitudinal, behavioral and demographic traits, marketers already know that reinforcing the sentiment of ‘rewarding or treating yourself’ at key touchpoints in the path to purchase is likely to appeal.

Online retailers need to adapt with their audience, not trail behind.

Despite increased competition and an overly saturated market, profiting in the online retail space ultimately boils down to being in tune with your audience.

Segmenting attitudinally allows you to tap into the things your customers care about and amplify these exact factors through the functionality of your website and in your messaging.

But personalization isn’t just about leveraging how well you know your customers, it’s about showing how you’re adapting and changing with them.

Consumers’ attitudes and motivations are influenced by a variety of factors, which means their traits are never fixed. Your target segments and the markets they live in are constantly changing, so it pays to keep your finger on the pulse.

click to access our segmentation guide for marketers

Ethical marketing: 5 brands proving their purpose in uncertain times

Sam Ernest-Jones

A “brand” is the very essence of a business – its raison d’être – and the coronavirus outbreak is the biggest test to the ethical grounding of a brand we’ve seen for many years.

With an unclear view of what the future holds, many brands are emerging with productive and proactive measures to help lessen the negative impact.

Presented with an opportunity to do something positive in a time of crisis, these five brands are just a few that show us how brand purpose is being put to the test, and what it takes to remain true to your word.

More information on what consumers expect of brands during the outbreak is available in our hub.

Finance: Citi Group

The action:
Donating to COVID-19 relief efforts.

Citi bank has pledged $15 million to various coronavirus relief organizations. One-third will go to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, another to No Kid Hungry and the final third is reserved for country-specific aid in severely impacted areas.

In addition to its philanthropic efforts, Citi is also lessening the financial burden facing many of its customers.

By waiving fees and penalties, introducing hardship programs and offering small business support, the company is helping both individuals and institutions minimize the financial disruption caused by the outbreak by managing their monetary needs.

The purpose:
Making a positive impact on communities.

As we witnessed in its recent campaign addressing the gender pay gap, Citi is a brand that’s not afraid of championing social good.

Michael Corbat, CEO, explains, “making a positive impact in our communities is embedded in our mission. In the midst of this unprecedented global crisis, we will continue to identify additional opportunities to support those impacted in the communities we serve.”

Citi’s response was well thought out, supporting both long-term and short-term recovery efforts.

It achieved this by first looking at its own processes to identify ways it could lessen the impact for its customers, then looking at the needs of the wider, global population to offer relief funding.

Fashion: H&M

The action:
Producing PPE for medical staff.

The Swedish fashion store joined the list of non-essential clothing retailers to repurpose its supply chain to support the production of personal protective equipment for medical staff on the front line.

Head of Sustainability at H&M, Anna Gedda, explains the company’s stance at this time stating, “we see this as a first step in our efforts to support in any way we can. We’re all in this together and have to approach this as collectively as possible.”

The purpose:
Investing in people, communities and ideas.

H&M are very transparent about their mission:

“To drive long-lasting positive change and improve living conditions by investing in people, communities and innovative ideas.”

While at the center of fast fashion retail, their mission extends beyond this, aiming to improve the lives of their customers, but also the society they live in.

The retailer’s CEO, Helena Helmersson, is believed to have personally contacted the EU to understand the regions most in need of their services, and how they could offer help.

The H&M Foundation also gave $500,000 to the Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund, joining other giants like TikTok and Google who have also offered donations.

H&M spotted a chance to fulfill its mission for social good, and so far, has been delivering on this promise.

Tech: Facebook

The action:
Supporting small businesses.

Facebook’s initiatives to help governments, emergency response organizations, small businesses, its employees and its users is certainly helping to place it in public favor once more.

Aside from measures to restrict PEE sales scams taking place on its feed, as well as bonus initiatives to help its workforce financially, Facebook has donated large sums to support the small business economy.

This $100 million program will provide cash or ad credits to 30,000 businesses.

Facebook also announced that it would make its Workplace enterprise communications software free for 12 months for any governments or emergency response organizations that need them.

The purpose:
Bringing people together.

Facebook’s purpose is centered on people – specifically, connecting people to “bring the world closer together”.

Small businesses are a large part of Facebook’s community and its efforts to provide a crutch to them when they need it most demonstrates a genuine concern.

Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg, told CNBC, “we heard directly from them that they were in need, very nervous, and not able to pay a lot of their employees, and worried their doors would shut. We’re trying to help businesses pay their employees but also shift their businesses online.”

When presented with an opportunity to exercise goodwill by helping affected businesses, Facebook seized it.

Medical: Dyson

The action:
Designing and building ventilators.

Dyson, a British technology company famous for its household vacuums, has designed a ventilator and is ready to make 15,000 of them to help meet imminent demand.

The NHS needs to increase its number of ventilators from 8,175 to 30,000. Dyson is set to supply 10,000 of these.

“This new device can be manufactured quickly, efficiently and at volume,” Dyson writes. “The race is now on to get it into production.”

Dyson’s ventilator, named CoVent, was developed by the company in only 10 days, because the imminent threat of a shortage of the machines could lead to increased fatalities.

The purpose:
Innovation, creativity, functionality and reliability.

Dyson is a company that doesn’t believe in the word, ‘brand’. In fact, it’s banned from their business vocabulary.

And while they may also renounce the term brand purpose, there’s no denying that Dyson has a strong identity and its decision to support the UK’s NHS in its time of need certainly supports this.

Whilst philanthropy isn’t the company’s core mission, its core values are centred on innovation, creativity, functionality and reliability.

Certainly the latter two elements are integral to machines required to support human life, whilst values of innovation and creativity helped the brand to draw up the designs in an astonishing 10 days.

Food and drink: Brewdog

The action:
Making hand sanitizer.

For the fastest-growing food and drinks company in the UK, turning its hand to making hand sanitizer made sense.

After seeing a national shortage, Brewdog adapted its distillery in Aberdeen into a hand sanitizer factory. As explained on their website, their team ‘worked over the weekend to bottle and package the Punk Sanitizer to get it to those in need”.

Based in Scotland, the company sought to support local communities and front line workers, and agreed distribution to key workers and charities across the country from next week.

Since this initiative began, Brewdog has packed and donated 50,000 units to the NHS and local charities.

The purpose:
Business for good, taking a stand, transparency.

Even in more certain times, Brewdog is a company with a strong ethical grounding.

Having gone from a humble startup to award-winning international beer brand in a remarkably short time, ‘giving back’ has always been important to its founders.

Through their Unicorn Fund, they give away 20% of their annual profits. 10% is shared equally between their teams and 10% is donated to charities chosen by their staff and community.

With its strong sense of and doing the right thing, Brewdog’s transition into a supporting role for some of the most valued members of the community right now – frontline workers – was a natural one.

It’s crucial to focus on the human impact

When it comes to branding, terms like ‘purpose’, ‘values’, ‘ethics’ and ‘mission’ are difficult to distinguish – because they should all work in tandem.

Even in more secure times, every business is expected to have a unique and meaningful set of beliefs that focuses on more than just its products and services.

By channeling their response to the outbreak through the ethics they hold themselves to, these brands are helping mitigate the impact of coronavirus for the customers they serve and the wider community.

How wearable tech is helping consumers take control of their wellbeing

Katie Gilsenan

It’s arguably now more important than ever to manage our physical and mental wellbeing.

We’re at a time where we’re facing unprecedented challenges around the world, and the impact of the coronavirus on our personal wellbeing can’t be overstated.

But technology can lend a helping hand in many ways – from telemedicine to wearable technology – providing opportunities for consumers to take ownership of their health at a time when they need support the most.

As covered in our Digital Healthcare report, wearable technology is becoming more widely adopted in many regions around the world, and is proving to be a valuable tool in managing consumers’ wellbeing.

Wellness is front-of-mind for consumers.

Globally, usage of health and fitness apps is on the rise. In 2012, 11% of internet users said they used a health and fitness app in the last month, rising to 26% in 2019 – a growth of 136%.

Importantly, while millennials are using health apps the most (29%), baby boomers aren’t too far behind (19%) – highlighting that health apps, regardless of age, allow users to take more control over their health through the devices they use every day.

Additionally, from our recent custom coronavirus research across 17 countries between March 31st-April 2nd, we found that maintaining physical wellness is vital for consumers at this time.

Close to one-third of consumers are currently concerned about their physical health/fitness, coming ahead of concerns about being able to buy essentials they need, paying household bills, and job security.

And they’re taking action, too. Around 85% of consumers say they’re doing some form of exercise during the outbreak, with workouts-at-home topping the list (51%), followed by walks (33%), and using home exercise equipment (27%).

In fact, exercise is the top activity consumers say they’ll continue doing after the outbreak is over, and by quite a long shot.

40% of consumers across 17 markets say they expect to continue exercising once the pandemic ends.

This was the top activity for every individual country, out of 20+ possible options, including activities like spending longer on social media, watching more shows on streaming services, and spending time socializing with family. It also came first place for all generations too, even among the digitally-attuned Gen Z.

Of course, it’s difficult to know to what extent these plans will translate to reality when this is all over, but it does indicate the potential stickiness of exercise and the importance consumers place on looking after their health.

It also means consumers are likely to be open to initiatives that support them to achieve their health goals, which presents great opportunities for fitness brands and technology companies.

Wearable ownership is growing, and shows great potential.

Today, a growing number of consumers are using wearable technology, like smartwatches and fitness trackers, to carry out different functions – from tracking their heart rate to sending their data directly to their doctor.

Wearables could also prove beneficial in managing COVID-19 patients and in detection of the virus.

Researchers at Stanford are launching a new research project that will look at how wearables and the data collected from them – such as sleep patterns and heart rate – can detect viruses, including COVID-19, days in advance before symptoms show. Researchers at Duke University have also launched a similar study, called CovIdentify.

In the meantime, there’s also been some intriguing anecdotal evidence. For example, a user of a smart ring made by Oura tested positive for COVID-19 in March after waking up to find his “readiness score” – an aggregate score of physiological data, like resting heart rate – had crashed.

We’ve already seen considerable growth in smartwatch ownership, so it’s likely uptake will continue off the back of this.

Globally, around 1 in 5 internet users now own a smartwatch or smart wristband; a 46% increase since 2014.

On a regional level, APAC and North American internet users are ahead of the curve for smartwatch/smart wristband ownership (22% and 20% respectively).

While APAC has been ahead since 2014, the biggest increases can be found in North America and Europe. In Europe, ownership of these devices has jumped up from 6% in 2014 to 17% in 2019 (183% increase). Similarly, in North America ownership has increased from 9% in 2014 to 20% in 2019 (122% increase).

There’s also a common misconception that wearable technology is reserved for higher-income earners. But as we saw with the smartphone, this is becoming less true. In 2014, only 35% of wearable owners were in the middle income bracket, yet this has steadily increased to 48% in 2019.

Wearables have become more democratized over time, and in turn, a wider group of consumers are benefiting from the various features on offer.

In the healthcare industry, wearables seem to have found their niche that has helped to fuel growth.

Usage of wearables goes beyond simply step counting.

With Google’s mammoth acquisition of Fitbit last year and wearable technology’s potential in coronavirus detection, the healthcare wearable industry is set to gain even further momentum.

In separate custom research from early March in the U.S. and UK, we found that 3 in 5 smartwatch/fitness tracker owners use their wearable for step counting.

While fitness and activity features are still important features for many, we’re also seeing consumers use their devices for more sophisticated health tracking that moves beyond simply monitoring activity or diet and into the realm of illness detection.

For example, 44% of smartwatch/fitness tracker owners use their device to measure or track their heart rate and 40% use it to track their sleep, while 27% use it for blood pressure measurement.

As wearable technology continues to advance, its functions will further diversify and it will become an even more essential health monitoring tool.

Notably, younger audiences tend to use their wearables for a greater number of functions compared to Gen X and baby boomers who primarily use it for step tracking or tracking their heart rate.

Wearables give consumers more control over their wellbeing.

In the U.S. and UK, 47% of smartwatch/fitness tracker owners say their device helps them manage their fitness, making it the primary benefit overall.

Interestingly, 45% say they enjoy looking at the data, highlighting consumers’ need for more information, which is something many have become accustomed to in the age of digital sharing.

This shows there’s an element of curiosity too – users enjoy looking at patterns, and, as consumers get even richer data on their body’s signals, they’ll continue to learn more about themselves than they might have before.

One of the most exciting benefits of wearables is the ability to give consumers greater control over their own health.

Our data shows around 2 in 5 U.S./UK smartwatch/fitness tracker owners say their device helps them feel more in control of their health and proactively manage their wellbeing.

Helping consumers feel more in control over their health is important across all generations, and could prove especially valuable for older consumers who may benefit the most.

The latest health insurer to push the Apple Watch to customers is Devoted Health, a private Medicaid insurer, who is now subsidizing the cost of the watch for its members. This proves especially valuable for older patients as the watch can call for help if a person falls, and potentially down the track, be used to detect illnesses like coronavirus.

Additionally, around 40% of current/future wearable owners also want the ability to manage sleep-related issues, track their breathing rate, and manage stress issues – highlighting just how this technology is giving people the ability to quantify their physical and mental wellbeing through lifestyle changes and rituals.

All of this reinforces how wearables are moving beyond simple methods of measuring physical fitness and now have the capabilities to track less obvious measures of our personal wellbeing.

Given the current climate of uncertainty, wearable devices offer a kind of reassurance and security to people when they’re feeling particularly vulnerable, because of the heightened visibility and control they give consumers over their health.

The research and efforts happening now around wearables’ potential to detect coronavirus could have a significant impact on the industry.

This, alongside consumers’ increased focus on exercising and wellness activities, could open up new opportunities for wearable brands. We can only watch this space to see how it unfolds.

Snapshot: coronavirus and economic confidence

Isaac Hopkins

March 2020 saw private payrolls plummet by 713,000 in the U.S., ending a record 113 consecutive months of job growth.

In the UK, analysts from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) have predicted that the coronavirus pandemic could cause UK economic output to plunge by an unprecedented 15% in Q2. A contraction which would dwarf the fourth quarter of 2008’s 2.2% as the banking crash took hold.

A significant economic effect for many

For 1 in 5 internet users in the U.S. and UK, the coronavirus outbreak has had a major effect on their ability to regularly earn money.

This rises to 26% for Gen Z and then decreases steadily for older generations: 22% of millennials, 19% of Gen X, and 13% of baby boomers.

Among those in the top 25% income bracket, just 14% report being majorly affected – however this rises to 25% of those in the bottom 25% income bracket.

Such insights provide compelling evidence that young people and low earners are set to suffer most financially as a result of the pandemic.

Collectively, the coronavirus outbreak has either majorly or moderately affected 46% of U.S. consumers’ abilities to regularly earn money. In the UK however, this figure stands at just 35%.

In the U.S. lawmakers have passed the $2.3 trillion CARES Act, while in the U.K. the government has launched its furlough scheme.

You can see a full breakdown of the U.S. and UK’s economic responses here.

Economic confidence: the demographic breakdown

To analyze how economically confident consumers in the U.S. and UK are, we asked them how quickly they think the global economy, their country’s economy, and their personal finances will take to fully recover once the coronavirus outbreak is over.

Over half of consumers in the U.S. and UK expect the global economy (58%), or their country’s economy (51%), to recover moderately or extremely slowly.

However, when it comes to personal finances, just 34% feel the same.

Ultimately, confidence in the economy as a whole, is far lower than consumers’ confidence in themselves to overcome the inevitable economic challenges of coronavirus. This is in line with our international research on coronavirus which found people tend to believe the collective situation is worse than their own individual situation.

Economic confidence is higher in the U.S.

% of internet users who think the following will recover moderately/very fast once the coronavirus outbreak is over

	U.S.	UK
The Global Economy	13%	9%
Your Country’s Economy	19%	10%
Your Personal Finances	16%	11%

As the table above shows, across all three criteria, consumers in the U.S. are more economically confident than those in the UK.

This is despite the fact that a greater majority of U.S. consumers report that the pandemic has impacted their ability to regularly earn money.

Interestingly, the greatest cross-country difference is found when consumers are asked to rating their own country’s economy. Suggesting that U.S. consumers are significantly more confident in their economy than their respective UK counterparts.

It’s worth noting that financial position before the crisis has a negligible effect on country specific confidence.

Among U.S. and UK consumers who say they usually struggle to make ends meet, 53% expect their country’s economy to recover slowly, while for consumers who are financially secure, this is actually slightly higher at 55%.

Women are significantly less likely (11%) to think that their personal finances will recover quickly after the outbreak than men (19%).

In summary, while economic confidence is partially affected by gender, age, and income; coronavirus poses an unprecedented economic challenge to all of society.

Snapshot: grocery shopping in the UK and U.S.

Shauna Moran

Shifts in purchasing behaviors are standard for any country touched by the coronavirus pandemic; with adjustments in attitudes toward personal finances and nonessential buying being the first to budge.

All Brits and the majority of Americans are now experiencing some form of lockdown. Given that both nations have good ecommerce infrastructures and are currently among the top 10 most affected countries worldwide, trends in these parts can set a precedent for markets in earlier phases of the pandemic.

Our most recent study in the coronavirus series (conducted between April 2-6 and available on our hub) paints a picture of how the outbreak is affecting consumer sentiment and buying behaviors across both markets; while accounting for important demographic differences.

Grocery purchases are witnessing an uptick across various product categories.

Supermarket panic buying drove the number of transactions in the UK up massively a few weeks ago, with U.S. stockpiling devastating supermarket shelves up-and-down the country.

While this peak is proving to be short-lived, our survey indicates that consumers are continuing to buy certain items more than they would under usual circumstances.

50% in the U.S. and 43% in the UK have been spending more on their regular grocery shop since the start of the outbreak.

Cleaning products, toiletries and non-perishable goods are priority buys
% of internet users in the U.S./UK who say they have been purchasing more of the following

	U.S.	UK
Household cleaning products (e.g. cleaning spray, bleach)	53	29
Personal hygiene products (e.g. hand wash)	53	32
Personal toiletries (e.g. toilet paper)	48	27
Shelf-stable products (e.g. pasta, rice, flour)	48	33
Fresh food/perishable items (e.g. dairy, eggs, meat, vegetables)	43	30
Canned vegetables/meats	41	27
Bottled water	39	14
Frozen vegetables/meats	36	29
Snack foods (e.g. pretzels, chocolate)	35	30
Other	7	3
I’m not purchasing more items	13	29

Less security around individual finances might lead us to expect a drop in personal spending. For example, our latest wave of coronavirus research across 17 markets shows half of internet users in the UK are delaying making large purchases.

But what consumers are cutting from their nonessential shopping list, they’re making up for in essential purchases.

Although this trend appears in both markets, it’s more pronounced in the U.S., particularly when it comes to household cleaning and hygiene products.

In both countries, baby boomers (aged 57-64) lag behind in terms of buying most of the items listed above. But, while millennials (aged 24-37) and Gen X (aged 38-56) are at the front of this purchasing trend in the U.S., Gen Z (aged 16-23) are driving it most in the UK.

The effects of gender on buying habits are equally striking. Men are more likely than women to report an increase in purchasing products from 8 of the 10 item categories on our list in the U.S., and 7 in the UK.

This is influenced by men being significantly less likely to hold the main responsibility for the household shopping pre-outbreak.

These variations aside, there’s evidence of increased spending across all demographic brackets.

Attitudes toward grocery buying shed light on purchase increases.

With more internet users in these markets saying they sometimes struggle to make ends meet than believing they’re financially secure, one question we might ask is: what’s driving consumers to purchase more?

Grocery buyers are gravitating toward larger and less frequent shops.

Among those buying more items, when asked which statement best describes their current attitude toward grocery buying, topping the list in both countries is wanting to limit trips to the grocery store: 54% in the U.S. and 56% in the UK say this. This is followed by uncertainty about the availability of items (46% in the U.S. and 45% in the UK).

Being worried about running out of food and other essentials (often taking the media spotlight when accounting for the panic buying phenomena) is much higher in the U.S. (40%, compared to 29% in the UK) and among Gen Z (33%) – which clarifies some of the figures displayed in the chart above.

Consumers are advised to remain at home where possible and can often feel unsettled by the idea of venturing out to buy necessities. When coupled with fears about running out of essentials, this concern helps explain the sudden urge to stockpile.

These statements ultimately show that, while worries about a lack of food are influencing this trend, the top reason given in both countries among those buying more suggests a logical effort to follow government and expert advice.

Despite countless memes mocking the minority who participated in the initial waves of panic buying, our data indicates that increased spending on grocery shopping is widespread. By considering it from a consumer perspective, this research certainly provides further food for thought.

5 key takeaways for the food delivery industry

Shauna Moran

What Netflix has achieved for film enthusiasts, food delivery apps are realizing for takeout eaters.

Marking a major milestone in food delivery, U.S. restaurants are now projected to earn more from food consumed outside restaurant doors than in; and this shift is occurring on a global scale.

“Convenience” is the holy grail across various sectors, and customers are willing to pay more for it.

Pioneered in other industries – by platforms such as Netflix – advanced solutions geared toward convenience have subsequently set new standards for the experience provided by takeout vendors.

Growing expectations have ultimately eaten their way into the delivery domain, and are both a cause and effect of its expanding capabilities.

But, despite its growth, the food delivery space is a volatile one; as reinforced by the coronavirus outbreak.

It’s therefore necessary to understand where players are meeting consumer demands, and where they’re falling short – questions to which our custom survey run in February sheds light.

1. Time constraints only tell part of the story.

The most common reasons among takeout eaters for ordering food are not being in the mood to cook and sometimes wanting to treat themselves.

These cues are more influential among those in the UK, where around 6 in 10 order takeout as an occasional treat, compared to 49% of U.S. takeout eaters.

In both the U.S. and UK, a rapid increase in the number of mothers working full-time over the past few decades and a new culture of constant connectivity (where work-related messages are viewed outside working hours) often provide added justification for indulging.

This is where the food delivery industry comes to the rescue – serving up easy rewards for a hard day’s work.

As highlighted in our recent talent and workforce trends report, 43% of knowledge workers in the U.S. always work overtime, stay late or check messages outside working hours, compared to 35% of those in the UK. This helps account for why U.S. takeout eaters are more likely to cite being busy and not having time to cook as a reason for dining in (35% do).

Yet, not all takeout eaters are working professionals with busy schedules.

We should therefore consider age when looking for answers to why we order food. For example: Gen Z takeout eaters are the most likely to order in because they feel like a treat (53% do); with baby boomers being the least likely to cite being busy as a factor (24% do).

Despite these differences, fluctuations in mood and a reward-seeking mindset drives the impulse to order takeout food across all demographic breaks.

Being time-poor can put consumers off cooking and suggest the need for a treat, but the main point is that delivery habits are less utilitarian than we might think.

2. TV is often consumers’ first choice on the takeout menu.

While in this “treat yourself” frame of mind, takeout eaters tend to sit back and unwind, usually by watching TV.

As an alternative to a movie at the cinema and dinner at a restaurant, the appetizing option of Netflix and delivery is gaining traction – with the two often being a package deal.

Globally, those who order takeout online each month spend roughly 15 minutes longer than the average watching online TV each day (1 hour and 40 minutes).

For younger consumers in particular, the primary ingredient of this activity is the accompanying entertainment.

Among takeout eaters, almost 7 in 10 Gen Z and millennials watch online TV while eating takeout food.

The popularity of streaming does decline with age, but home entertainment is still a takeout staple among older consumers, albeit offline.

Online takeout eaters in the baby boomer category spend around three-quarters of an hour longer watching broadcast TV each day compared to their Gen Z counterparts (2 hours and 20 minutes). TV is therefore just as much a part of their takeout routine, with 46% in this group usually opting to watch broadcast TV as a side.

Entertainment aside, across all demographic brackets relaxing by oneself ranks higher as a takeout pastime than socializing with friends.

Eating takeout food is ultimately a very different experience to restaurant dining and shouldn’t be seen as a direct enemy to it. In many cases, delivery platforms have provided a new revenue stream for restaurants, with 69% of those joining UberEATS in London reporting an increase in sales.

The portion of online takeout eaters dining out each week has fallen slightly over the last year, but this behavioral pattern is still standard for 4 in 10 of this group.

The food delivery market may have penetrated consumers’ lives at scale, but takeout delivery services will be hard-pushed to replicate some of the qualities that make dining out irreplaceable.

3. Loyalty does exist, but remains fragile.

Half of takeout eaters typically use the same service when ordering takeout food, which indicates that various brands do have their fair share of regulars.

Customer loyalty varies by age, with 57% of millennials usually sticking to the same provider, compared to 47% of Gen X.

The top motivations for ordering more often are financial. While takeout eaters in the Gen Z category over-index for wanting free delivery (59% do) and rewards/discounts (57%), Gen X (despite not being the most committed to brands) stand out for their partiality toward loyalty points and programs (42%).

Among takeout eaters, Gen Z are 53% more likely to say eco-friendly packaging would persuade them to order takeout more often.

Monetary incentives aside, younger consumers expect more from food delivery services in terms of transparency and variety.

3 in 10 millennials say they would be moved by a more diverse menu (Index 1.14), with Gen Z taking a shine to the option of seeing food recommendations (Index 1.16).

Gen Z are also 21% more likely to say that bad customer reviews would discourage them from ordering (46% say this). With a greater sense of social responsibility and an aptitude for anything digital, they’re more inclined to be put off by evidence of staff being treated poorly (35%) or the website or app not being user-friendly (31%).

Overall, a lack of value and efficiency are the leading frustrations consumers have toward ordering in. Perhaps unsurprisingly, low quality food is the most likely deterrent across all age groups – with cold food, wrong orders and raised delivery fees leading the pack.

This has implications for food delivery services that are increasing costs to make ends meet – including Zomato and Swiggy, who are tightening cancellation rules and raising the price of their loyalty programs.

In addition, the response to Deliveroo’s recent plans to introduce service fees on all orders highlights how quickly customers can jump ship, with many now vowing to boycott the app.

4. No player is secure in the delivery game.

In the UK, the majority of online takeout eaters order from JustEat the most.

But, when we focus on a group of loyal consumers, who’ve adopted one service as their go-to option, JustEat and Domino’s take up yet more space at the table: 31% of those who aren’t loyal to any service order from Domino’s most regularly, which rises to 40% among those with a brand affinity.

While brand loyalty is less concentrated in the U.S., loyal online takeout eaters still skew more heavily toward a certain app – in this case, UberEats. It’s therefore difficult for new entrants to make a noticeable dent in a space where so much of the land has already been possessed.

That said, many factors have the power to incentivize takeout fans. For example, UberEats recently lost its main trump card in the UK after McDonald’s announced its plans to incorporate JustEat into their alliance.

Given over 1 in 4 takeout eaters agree that their favorite restaurant no longer being available would cause them to order less, it’s clear that the selection offered by a service is an important factor in the continuation of customer loyalty.

What’s more, online takeout eaters with a brand preference carry higher expectations than those without one: 58% of the former group would order takeout food less were they to receive low-quality food, compared to 48% of the latter.

Even once loyalty has been attained, it should never be taken for granted; as one bad experience could potentially alienate followers for life.

5. There’s light at the end of the tunnel.

In addition to stealing another’s buyers, the potential for increasing the frequency of orders among existing customers also exists.

1 in 4 takeout eaters believe they’ll order takeout food more over the next 6 months.

There are many ways providers can stand out and reach new areas of the market. For one, the feature capturing most attention among this group is 24/7 delivery. A new service called Evart Eats is aiming to capitalize on the late-night takeout market, which Domino’s is well-known for attending to.

Aside from the added convenience 24/7 delivery brings, consumers have high hopes for the future of the takeout industry; and we’re likely to see more collaboration as expectations and competitors evolve.

Overall, younger consumers are more excited about the prospect of edible packaging, as well as more grocery, coffee and retail chains being added to providers.

This justifies various steps being taken across the industry – such as Starbucks’ plan to team up with UberEats, and Deliveroo partnering with KeepCup’s founder to trial reusable containers for deliveries.

When it comes to enthusiasm toward new technology entering the food delivery space, affluence plays a part. Roughly 3 in 10 of those in the top 25% income group long for the rise of delivery drones and robots (Index 1.29), as well as the ability to order using voice technology (Index 1.18).

This shift may not even be as far-off as we might think, with Amazon, Uber, and Google all promising and already in the process of trialling delivery drones.

The coronavirus is testing the industry’s immunity

It’s necessary to mention the impact of the global health crisis on what we’ve already identified as an extremely volatile industry, as the trends we’ve been seeing across the takeout delivery sector recently indicate signs of struggle.

In the countries occupying the media spotlight amid the outbreak, many consumers are changing their dining habits.

In Italy and Spain – two countries on lockdown and among the most affected by the outbreak at this time – at least 3 in 5 consumers have reduced their visits to bars, cafes and restaurants.

While food delivery services are reckoned to be “one of the only winners” in the crisis, on account of consumers spending more time indoors, those in China were reported to be suffering back in February.

Likewise, our upcoming wave of data covering the first quarter of 2020 indicates that the portion of the global online population using takeout delivery apps or sites remains consistent month-on-month.

There are several explanations for this. Our first wave of coronavirus research, for example, shows that over 4 in 10 internet users (across 13 markets) are spending more time cooking at home because of the virus – a figure that jumps to 55% in China.

Among other shifts in preferences, moves to mitigate the risk of infection don’t bode well for food delivery services. These patterns are now surfacing throughout Europe, with UK food delivery orders falling sharply since the nation first went into lockdown.

How players stand to fare as the pandemic progresses will vary by country, and depend on how well each one adapts. Though some may prosper in the crisis, hopes that the industry will flourish as a result may not take effect.

But, by addressing these key takeaways in new ways, takeout providers can continue to add fresh shades of meaning to the word “convenient”.

From launching contactless delivery, to initiatives supporting restaurants and grocery shopping, many services are starting to get creative – proving just how adaptable and valuable the industry is.

Retaining talent in times of uncertainty: what to know

Stefani Lanteri

Retaining top talent isn’t easy.

Our latest research shows almost a third of employees feel that retaining staff is a challenge for their company.

This is partly because our values have changed. Employees now expect more from their places of work: increased flexibility, better perks, and much greater transparency.

Now, in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, there’s even more at stake. Things have taken a serious turn, as employees’ personal and professional lives become increasingly disrupted.

With government restrictions mounting, many organizations are struggling to ensure business continuity, while employees have been asked to work remotely in a bid to slow the spread of the pandemic.

We know employees need to be able to work in a framework that supports them – period. Perhaps more than ever, businesses have a responsibility to step up and take care of their people.

Based on what we know from our ongoing work research and our study on the consumer response to the coronavirus outbreak, here are some tips on how to retain – and best support – your people in times of uncertainty.

Lead with honesty and transparency.

To modern professionals, transparency is a big deal.

We found direct correlation between employers who communicate business goals and updates regularly and workers’ overall satisfaction. Employees want to feel part of the bigger plan.

Transparent communication in the workplace isn’t just about keeping employees aligned with a company’s vision – it’s also about keeping them invested.

In challenging times especially, transparency is the way through.

Amid the unease and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, with a third of the world experiencing lockdown, employees will be looking to their organizations for extra guidance – regardless if the future is unwritten, and even if employers (like the rest of us) are still figuring things out.

Employees still expected to work have a right to know what plans are in place.

When the time calls for it, it’s far better for employees to be made aware of situations as they’re unfolding than in retrospect. On the contrary, a lack of information can make some employees feel unsupported.

Conversations during this time should be real, honest, and frank. From an employer’s perspective, this means:

Communicating frequently: Giving periodic updates to show the company is staying on top of the latest developments and is acting accordingly.
Empathizing and listening: If employees are feeling powerless and vulnerable, these concerns shouldn’t be dismissed in favor of other work priorities. Employees should be able to express themselves freely, with workplaces acknowledging such concerns are normal.
Being real. While not every employee request can be honored, implementing some normal practices and policies and lowering expectations (around output, for example) may do a lot to ease nerves.

Being entirely transparent – while opening things up for two-way discussion – can help shape employee attitudes to the crisis for the better.

It’s crucial that leaders don’t get sucked into the panic. An employer’s willingness to set the example and help employees cope can go a long way to reduce stress and empower employees when they need it most.

Realise good workplace culture is twofold: as crucial for morale as it is for business objectives.

Based on all of research outside of that specific to COVID-19, employee salary and progression are the top conditions to ensure a happy and motivated workforce.

Next comes workplace culture: no ‘buzzword’, but something requiring attention. Just a quarter of knowledge workers say they’re ‘completely satisfied’ at work.

Workplace culture is a chief concern for professionals globally, and the research is there to support it.

Good culture is vital for retention: more than 6 in 10 employees who said their workplace had an excellent culture also rated their company high in terms of morale.

In the long term, the benefits are compounded. Companies that take specific measures to improve the wellbeing of employees in the workplace can reshape their trajectories toward a happier and more engaged workplace culture, resulting in increased innovation, growth and revenue.

Workplace perks: more than a box-ticking exercise.

Workplace perks do more than incentivize employees. They contribute to employees’ sense of belonging and shape their overall experience being at work.

That said, exactly what initiatives contribute to good workplace culture depends on the needs and opinions of individuals within any given organization.

Whether it’s free office social events, free food or drink, free exercise classes, discounted services, activities, or events, positive workplace culture isn’t the result of one thing, but a culmination of many things.

Now, with employee well-being at risk of being compromised, fostering a sense of solidarity in the business through good workplace culture couldn’t be more important.

Opening up discussion around culture – by asking employees what they envisage an ideal work culture to be – can be an invaluable tool for organizations looking to make a genuine impact on their employees specifically.

If this exercise isn’t commonplace, now would be a good time to start. Instead of implementing immediate changes, ideas employees generate can be implemented when business as usual gradually resumes -giving employees things to look forward to.

Unlimited annual leave, for example, is an increasingly growing trend in the workplace, primarily used by tech firms and start-ups as a tactic to attract and retain talent. 12% of satisfied employees are offered unlimited holiday (compared to only 7% on average) but the arrangement might not work for everyone.

There’s a correlation between uncapped holidays and over-working, with knowledge workers who have the benefit being 22% more likely to work late and work overtime at least once a week.

Of the knowledge workers who rate their company as excellent in terms of employee satisfaction, the following workplace perks are well regarded:

60% consider their workplace layout and environment as excellent.
59% rate their company’s communication and openness to feedback as excellent.
59% rate their work-life balance as excellent.

Being seen to take a proactive approach to workplace culture and associated workplace perks sends the message to employees that they aren’t taken for granted.

While the right perks do ladder up, adjusting and adding benefits in line with employee expectations is as important, and should be an ongoing priority in the retention stakes.

Be present: provide employees working remotely with the ongoing support they require.

Working remotely is broadly accepted for one quarter of workers globally.

But today, companies who were once resistant to the idea of allowing their employees to work from home have been forced into making it a reality. The option to work remotely is often dependent on the internal structure of an employee’s company – and it comes more naturally to some.

On the flipside, there are tangible benefits to working from home: companies that permit remote working also have 20% higher employee satisfaction.

Furthermore, those with employers that permit remote working are more inclined to rate their companies as “good” or “excellent” for employee morale, communication, productivity, collaboration, and overall culture.

However, remote working is also associated with a tendency to work longer and harder; something employers should be acutely aware of.

Employees will continue to perform to the same standard in many different circumstances, providing they continue to be supported when what constitutes ‘business as usual’ looks different.

As evidenced by our research, the likelihood of doing things like working overtime, and answering emails or messages outside of office hours actually increases as workplace tolerance toward remote working increases.

Trusting employees to manage their own flexible work arrangements is key.

Productivity rises by 16% when remote working is permitted, despite the popular stereotype that employees become less productive and more distracted when working from home.

Employees currently working from home in self-isolation risk becoming disengaged, which makes communication through any means, essential.

Instilling regular check-in times, through video calling especially is hugely beneficial, as video facilitates a strong person-to-person connection through reading people’s expressions and body language.

When in person interaction isn’t possible, video conferencing may be the next best thing: allowing empathetic conversations to take place and keeping rapport among employees healthy.

No one can be certain how long work from home measures will continue. Ultimately, remote working can only be successful if companies have effective digital collaboration and communication tools that are accessible to everyone.

Employee burnout becomes a real factor when workers are based outside an office space, and this has to be watched closely. It’s not just about creating a culture that responds quickly to industry changes, but ensuring employees maintain a positive wellbeing while doing so.

By doing their best to be present despite the social distancing measures in place, organizations can help employees work from home comfortably, safely, while feeling as though they’re in control.

For better or for worse, peoples’ experiences impact their organizations

The pace of change is faster than it’s been at any other time in history, but once you scratch the surface, the true state of work is more people-powered than you think.

Companies need employees who are connected, collaborative and feel optimistic about the future.

But the onus isn’t all on employees. Organizations that care about retaining talent should parioritize understanding why certain workers find themselves disconnected from the wider corporate vision.

Employees look to their leaders and model their behaviors, especially in times of crisis. What they most likely crave most right now is to feel acknowledged and accounted for. Employees need organizational support, clear communication, effective tools and a strategic vision to follow.

Alongside this, a renewed focus on improving workplace culture can do amazing things for morale and employee retention – even with the odds stacked high.

Employers who listen, and take specific actions to support employees for better or worse, will surely be among the most resilient. We might not know what lies ahead, but it’s a good time to remember the value of people.

4 device trends shaping 2020

Tom Morris

As the world gears up for a lengthy quarantine in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, our relationship with technology is more important than ever before.

Since the outbreak began, quarantined internet users have been turning to digital communication as they adapt to an unprecedented change in their way of life.

Using our latest core data, we’ve summarized 2020’s biggest device trends while analyzing the current state of the device landscape.

In addition, we look at the behaviors of internet users regarding various devices and how quarantine is likely to affect these trends in the future, using our latest research into the impact of COVID-19 on consumers across 13 markets.

Get the latest insights into the consumer impact of the coronavirus outbreak on our research hub. To analyze the data in more detail, access it for free in our platform.

1. PCs still have their place.

In 2019, we noted that the mobile tipping point – a stage we’ve been eyeing for some years now – had finally been surpassed, with time spent on mobiles 10 minutes ahead of PCs/laptops, suggesting this gap is only going to keep widening.

But though PC/laptop ownership has been in steady decline since 2015, these devices aren’t irrelevant just yet.

Mobile-only strategies shouldn’t be the default at the expense of other devices, given global users still spend 3 hours and 15 minutes on PC/laptops.

Ownership of PCs and laptops is still just shy of 7 in 10 for all internet users, with highs of 89% in Switzerland and lows of 28% in Morocco.

For older internet users – those aged 55-64 – desktops are especially important, as these consumers spend an hour and 20 minutes more on these devices than on smartphones.

Similarly, regions where PCs and laptops were introduced later are still using the device more heavily compared to their early-adopter counterparts. Internet users in LatAm, for example, spend around 4 hours and 20 minutes a day on desktops, an hour more than those in Europe – who are still PC-first.

It’s important to note, that in regions with early PC/laptop adoption, internet penetration rates are higher – and their internet users older.

As such, markets where PCs haven’t been established for as long, tend to have a younger online population, who spend more time online in general compared to their older counterparts.

But with many confined to their homes, how is the pandemic affecting engagement with these devices?

As part of our ongoing coronavirus research, we asked respondents which devices they’re spending more time using since staying at home.

Smartphones have seen a meteoric rise in usage, with 75% of those who can’t leave their homes saying they use their mobiles more – rising to 82% for Gen Zs.

Even in a largely stationery environment, smartphones are still the device of choice.

Despite over 3 in 4 of those unable to leave their home reporting using their smartphones more, larger screen devices have also proven invaluable.

Over half are using PC/desktops more, and 1 in 3 say they’re turning to their laptops more – particularly in North America, where smartphone usage has increased for 38% of internet users.

As many as 45% of confined individuals are spending more time using laptops, and 34% on desktops. Even more surprising is Gen Zs’ part in the development of this trend – with 54% spending more time on their laptops since the start of the outbreak.

Though this is likely driven by an increase in watching films/TV shows or news coverage (the latter of which has seen significantly more viewership by 40% of quarantined respondents) a rise in remote working is likely to be a factor here too.

2. Wearable device ownership is growing.

Though little over 1 in 10 internet users own a smartwatch/wrist device, they’re climbing in popularity.

Still a relatively young product category, and with a projected value exceeding $31 billion in 2025, wearables are making their impact, though ownership of the devices is still concentrated among affluent early adopters.

Owners of either smartwatches or smart wristbands are 33% more likely to be found within the top 25% of earners.

While the wearables market initially struggled to compete with the variety of features found on smartphones, increased investment in these devices is giving them the chance to replicate, and even someday replace, mobiles.

Regionally, APAC shows the highest prevalence for smartwatch/smart wristband ownership, with 1 in 5 internet users here owning either device. This is driven particularly by high adoption in Singapore and Hong Kong, where the most wearable owners can be found – 29% and 28%, respectively.

In APAC, the term “smartwatch” encompasses a range of devices, some of which retail for as little as $20, meaning greater affluence isn’t necessary to own either device.

On the contrary, products with a typically higher price point – such as the Fitbit, Apple Watch, and Samsung’s Galaxy Watch – are the current leading brands for smartwatch/smart wristband owners in the UK and U.S.

Presently, the Apple Watch proves the most popular in both markets observed (56% of smartwatch/wrist owners here own one), and especially the U.S., where 37% of this audience own an Apple branded smartwatch.

13% of quarantined Smartwatch owners say they’re spending more time on their smartwatches since the coronavirus outbreak

Apple’s product continues to see great success in the UK and U.S., having climbed 10 percentage points from 25% to 35% among this audience since 2015.

Meanwhile, Fitbit, owned by just 4% of smartwatch/smart wristband owners, is likely to see growth after its recent acquisition by Google. The $2.1 billion deal marks a turning point in Google’s wearable device range, given its Wear OS smartwatch had difficulty competing against rival brands.

3. The smart home market is growing.

Despite the smart home industry being expected to value $174 billion by 2025, the products themselves are taking off slowly, with global adoption currently at 11% of internet users.

Again, those within higher income segments are more likely to be in possession of these devices – those in the top 25% for income are 35% more likely to own a smart home product than average.

In North America, internet users in this region are at the forefront of these devices, with 18% of internet users in the region owning a smart home product, compared to 11% in second-placed APAC.

Globally, the UK represents the top market for smart product ownership, with 19% of internet users here in possession of a smart home device, closely followed by the U.S. at 18% and Canada with 16%.

In a custom study run in July 2019, we found that 66% of internet users in the U.S. and UK would consider purchasing a smart home product in the next year.

For smart home product owners, the most popular devices are smart speakers (51%). The instantaneous Q&A nature of these smart assistant devices has led users to personalize their AI functionality, such as adding an optional celebrity voice to each individual device.

In certain regions, reliance on these devices has increased during the pandemic. Smart speakers have felt the effects of COVID-19 too, with 10% of confined individuals saying they’re using these devices more.

In Japan, just under 1 in 4 smart home product owners say they’re spending more time using their smart speaker after the coronavirus outbreak began.

Interestingly, older internet users are more inclined to own these smart speakers than their younger counterparts – 58% of those aged 55-64 own a smart speaker compared to 48% of 16-24s.

A possible reason for speaker popularity here is music-streaming services, a prominent feature on smart speakers.

For example, in 2017, internet users aged 55-64 spent 22 minutes a day on music-streaming services, having risen to 38 minutes per day as of 2019 – and 57 minutes for smart speaker owners in this demographic.

Compared to TV and news, music-streaming providers have ground to make up in bringing users onboard, as a third of internet users worldwide don’t use music-streaming services at all.

The general ease-of-use smart speakers benefit from may also help in converting late adopters (most of whom are 45-64) to new ways of listening.

But as internet users are warming to smart home products, smart TVs are leading by some margin, with 37% ownership globally and 63% of smart home product owners.

Aside from 16-24s, of which 3 in 10 own a TV, smart TVs are evenly owned across all age groups – around 40% of internet users aged 25-64 own a smart TV.

In the UK and the U.S., 74% of those planning to purchase an entertainment product are considering buying a smart TV in the next year.

While these devices have the advantage of accommodating both traditional and online TV viewing habits, they also cooperate with other devices.

Through smart TVs, users can stream smartphone content via mirroring/casting, which 4 in 10 smart TV owners have done in the past month.

4. Gaming is gearing up for a busy year.

With 82% of internet users gaming on any device, the activity is alive and well despite a decline (from 89%) since 2015.

As gaming migrates to other devices, this decline could be a result of smartphones and tablets’ growth in popularity as gaming devices – the former of which has become the most prominent gaming device among internet users since 2015.

Console decline may be attributed to Sony and Microsoft’s looming 9th generation consoles, with each company’s gaming devices, PS4 and Xbox One respectively, having been in circulation for as long as seven years.

As the 8th generation of consoles enter their final year as brand flagships, attention is on Sony and Microsoft to deliver the much-anticipated 9th generation consoles; the enigmatic PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, respectively.

For console owning gamers, the PS4 is the most commonly owned gaming console. Just under half own this device, and Sony will hope to retain this success on release of the PS5 in late 2020.

PS4’s primary competitor, the Xbox One, sees overall ownership drop to just over 1 in 5 of this audience, while little over 1 in 4 are interested in purchasing the latest Xbox following its release.

However, the release of a new console gives developers the opportunity to reignite interest and garner a new following, as each minor update made is capable of significantly impacting gamers’ purchase consideration.

Of those who say they cannot leave their homes, 1 in 5 say they’ll be spending significantly more time playing video games.

With much of the population becoming accustomed to a period of quarantine, gaming is certain to remain a popular form of entertainment.

As time will tell, consumers devoting more time to the activity is likely to benefit the industry and generate further interest in upcoming consoles.

Device use after COVID-19

There’s great uncertainty surrounding when the pandemic will come to an end, with quarantines lasting an indefinite amount of time.

During this period, consumption habits are shifting as consumers become better acquainted with different types of media.

Right now, all devices, whether used for communication or entertainment purposes, are important to those unable to leave their homes. We can expect to see high levels of streaming service usage, stretching from film/TV to online gaming, in the coming weeks.

There’s already evidence of this happening, with various streaming giants reducing the quality of their streams in order to cope with the additional strain on their services.

How long this crisis will last is anyone’s guess, but as quarantines begin to lift, the habits developed in the next few weeks are unlikely to break quickly. As a result, users’ relationships with their devices could be permanently altered, with the streaming and gaming industries likely to benefit in the long run.

How the outbreak is changing entertainment habits

Viktoriya Trifonova

The coronavirus outbreak has put much of the world on lockdown, with many resorting to exploring new hobbies and activities, or rekindling familiar ones.

Alongside companies in the food delivery and remote working software industries, a handful of entertainment platforms have been among the few experiencing an increase in demand. The beginning of the new decade has been marked with a sudden shock in the way media is being consumed among all demographics.

In times of uncertainty, revenue losses, and a looming recession, it’s more important than ever that advertisers and media planners leverage data to drive fast, but informed decisions.

Our latest international research conducted between March 16th to March 20th in 13 countries sheds light on how entertainment engagement is being redefined by the crisis.

With nearly 7 in 10 internet users in the countries we surveyed being confined to their homes or choosing to self-isolate, this data gives us essential clues as to how people are spending their time while on lockdown.

Later this week, we’ll be analyzing how media and entertainment is shifting in much more detail, including video calling and changes in social media consumption in the U.S. and UK.

Find full reports and frequent updates on the consumer response to COVID-19 in our hub. If you want to analyze the data in more detail, access the results from this survey in our platform.

The appeal of group activities has risen due to social distancing.

When asked what they’ve been up to in their homes during the outbreak, consumers cited three top activities:

67% are watching more news coverage.
53% are spending more time socializing as a family.
51% are watching more shows on streaming services like Netflix.

Watching more news coverage tops the charts for each generation, with Gen X leading the way (68%). However, the data tells an interesting story when we look at their second most prominent answer:

Gen Z are spending longer on messaging services (62%)
Millennials are streaming more films online (58%)
Gen X are spending more time with their families (52%)
Baby boomers are watching more broadcast TV (51%)

However, not all behaviors are taking place sequentially. On the contrary, a lot of activities occupying people’s time are happening simultaneously, and we need to move beyond demographics to explore these cross-channel behaviors.

In this graph, we can see that those devoting more time to streaming services like Spotify are the most likely to be engaged in the other at home activities as well.

Over 7 in 10 of those listening to more streaming services are watching more news, streaming more online TV and spending longer socializing with their family.

Though the opposite isn’t true. Streaming music doesn’t prove as popular among those devoting more time to other entertainment activities while at home.

For example, those spending more time reading news and watching broadcast TV are actually more likely to do all of the activities listed in the chart other than streaming music.

This suggests that amid social distancing, streaming music isn’t as central to our lives as activities that keep us in touch with what’s going on around the world.

For many, listening to music is heavily linked to commuting. And with over half of consumers avoiding public transport today, the absence of their regular commute could be bringing music streaming figures down.

Spotify’s figures confirm this. For example, Italy, the current epicenter of the pandemic, has experienced a drop in the average number of streams by approximately 4-million when compared to February last year.

Our data shows that of the 25% in Italy who report streaming more music because of the outbreak, only 9% said they spend significantly longer doing this.

According to Spotify, this trend is also present in the U.S., UK, France, and Spain.

However, it’s worth noting that streaming music is a part of the top 10 activities Gen Z report doing more of (57% say this compared to only 39% of millennials) and it’s also central in China (49%) and the Philippines (43%).

Our research also shows a considerable overlap between online and broadcast TV, with 59% of those spending more time now watching linear television also streaming TV online.

These figures will be changing, and most likely increasing rapidly.

We’ll be diving deeper into the changing media consumption habits of UK users in our research later this week following UK PM Boris Johnson’s announcement of new, stricter measures in the country.

Lockdown means consumers are spending more time offline than before.

At the time this research took place, 27% of internet users across all 13 countries report not being able to leave their houses except for essential reasons. This figure climbs as high as 86% in Spain and 83% in Italy.

Such constraints are impacting consumer behaviors in unprecedented ways, and these ways differ dramatically from those who aren’t under such strict quarantine.

Our data shows younger users have made significant steps from passive content consumption to their own content creation.

Gen Z and millennials under quarantine are much more likely to be devoting more time to creating and uploading videos online on platforms like YouTube and TikTok.

In fact, 38% of daily TikTok users in lockdown say they’re creating videos while at home, compared to 13% of those who report no changes to their lifestyle.

But we’re also seeing evidence of people under quarantine turning to more traditional activities for entertainment.

People unable to leave their homes are over 30% more likely to report reading more magazines and listening to more radio.

And this isn’t something we’re seeing only among older consumers. Reading newspapers is one of the most distinctive activities quarantined millennials are spending more time doing since the outbreak.

Their older counterparts, Gen Xers and baby boomers, are more likely to take their eyes away from screens during the crisis, with talking on the phone and cooking being among their most distinctive quarantine activities.

Engagement with online TV is booming.

From our ongoing research, we know that online TV is catching up steadily with linear TV, with internet users spending around 1h 20m on the former and close to 2 hours on the latter each day in 2019.

This varies dramatically by region. APAC has already closed the gap, while in Europe and North America, online TV still has much ground to cover before it rises to the daily engagement levels of linear TV.

That said, younger age groups are closing the gap at a much faster rate in these regions.

In these unprecedented times, however, our data shows that engagement with both these channels is being largely redefined in most countries.

From the 13 markets we surveyed, consumers are more likely to spend more time than before on traditional TV in 7 of them.

These are primarily mature markets, like Italy, France, Germany and Japan, where internet users are known to favor broadcast TV.

What is surprising here are the markets notorious for their linear TV consumption like the U.S., where the same proportion of consumers report spending more time on streaming as on linear TV than before the outbreak.

Spain is also among the mature markets where online TV is seeing very high engagement.

With 58% of consumers spending more time streaming movies online, Spain ranks in third place – just behind China and the Philippines.

If we rebase this question among Gen Z and millennials, online TV is the clear winner. These groups are significantly more likely to say they’re spending more time occupying their time with streaming services compared to broadcast TV. For these younger consumers, this is especially true in the most affected European countries.

It’s clear that demand for both channels is higher than ever but streaming in particular is experiencing an all-time high.

In a bid to cope with demand, platforms like Netflix and Disney+ (which made its debut in Europe this week) are temporarily reducing video-streaming quality across Europe.

The ‘second screen’ is a place for brands to effectively reach their audiences.

From our ongoing Core research, we’re able to create five personas based on time spent each day on different media. We’ve since cross-analysed these audiences with our custom Covid-19 research.

Our five personas are high or heavy users (spending more than 1 hour per day) of the following media:

Games consoles
Social media
Linear TV (spending more than 2 hours watching linear TV per day)
Online TV
Music streaming

These personas have all experienced dramatic changes to their lifestyle, which is reflected in the changes seen in their media consumption habits.

Self-isolation has meant they’re spending more time on different devices at home; especially on their smartphones.

Our youngest persona, the high/heavy users of social media, are the most likely to be spending more time on their phones, with 8 in 10 reporting doing so.

Games consoles enthusiasts, on the other hand, stand out for using PCs (43%), games consoles (32%) and tablets (31%) at a higher rate than any of the other personas.

With 74% of gaming console enthusiasts also using their smartphones more, mobile gaming engagement is set to reach record levels.

In fact, online gaming platform Steam is already seeing a surge in its concurrent users, passing the 20 million mark on March 15^th.

But what other online activities are these personas engaging with while at home?

Watching films on streaming services emerges as the most popular form of online entertainment our personas are spending more time on than before. Console and social media enthusiasts are on par with online TV fans here, with 60% streaming more films online.

When it comes to messaging on platforms like WhatsApp, social media and online TV enthusiasts are the most likely to turn to these services more than they previously were, which suggests messaging is likely a second-screen activity.

In fact, 9 in 10 high/heavy users of online TV are on at least one more device while watching TV, with6 in 10 doing so to stay in touch with friends.

While the outbreak of coronavirus remains present in people’s lives, second-screening is sure to be more of a complement than a competitor to TV advertising.

As the integration of TVs and smartphone use continues to gain traction, the potential for TVs and smartphones to reinforce the same message is now very much present.

With a third of the world currently experiencing a lockdown, our research shows that consumers are turning to in-home entertainment on multiple channels and devices at once.

There’s a huge opportunity for brands to step up and interact with their audiences, provide support, and keep audiences engaged during an unprecedented period of ‘at home’ time – the new normal for so many.

Are businesses ready for remote working?

Isaac Hopkins

In the wake of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, many workers across the globe are being asked to stay home.

The current public health crisis will have a lasting impact on working practices across industries, enlightening companies on the benefits of flexible and remote working.

Our 2019 Work data set, covering 10 markets and surveying 17,000 knowledge workers, reveals key insights into workplace behaviors and attitudes among workers across the globe.

It therefore offers insights into which types of businesses, sectors, and countries are best equipped for remote working in the coming weeks and months.

3 in 4 knowledge workers say their employers permit remote working to some extent.

While for 1 in 4 workers, working remotely is broadly accepted.

During these challenging times remote working has now become an everyday reality for many knowledge workers across various sectors.

You also can also find full reports and updates on the consumer response to COVID-19 in our hub.

1. Remote working comes more naturally to some.

The option to work remotely is often dependent on the internal structure of an employee’s company.

Working from home is no longer the domain of lower-paid jobs like telemarketing and customer service positions.

Tolerance for remote working actually correlates with increased seniority and achievement levels in the workplace. For example, 83% of those in executive management positions report being permitted to work remotely, while 63% of general office workers have this same benefit.

International organizations are also more likely to offer the option to work from home (87%) than locally-based companies (69%).

Remote working is sometimes associated with newer, smaller companies with attractive remote working provision, but it looks as if the reality of the software and infrastructure investment needed puts larger organizations on a stronger footing.

Additionally, company age is important, for businesses that are 1-5 years old, 82% of employees can work from home, this decreases to 69% for businesses that are 21-50 years old.

Likewise, company size is a significant factor. We found that 70% of employers in emerging small businesses (ESBs) permit employees to work from home to some extent, this increases to 80% for employees in enterprise companies.

Many small businesses hit by enforced store closures are bracing for the worst, and remote working brings on extra challenges for companies that size. Employees from firms with less than 250 workers are 1.61 times more likely to say their company never communicates its strategic goals with them (13%).

Even without the current need to work remotely, employees in these kinds of companies can feel disengaged from strategy – something that clearly needs to be addressed with the rapid strategic changes COVID-19 will bring.

Small businesses often rely on limited infrastructure and ad-hoc meetings, procedures which may struggle to survive the transition to remote working. Current events are exasperating communication issues and employees may feel more isolated, resulting in diminished productivity.

These are challenges that small businesses have to be aware of as they move to working remotely across the board.

On the other hand, large, global businesses, such as Google and Apple, are encouraging remote working for its employees. Larger companies are better suited to remote working primarily due to their access to innovative collaboration and communication services.

2. Technology is the clincher.

There’s a strong correlation between businesses which permit remote working and those that have up-to-date technology.

Among remote workers, just over half say their company is either an innovator or at least an early adopter of new technology or software products or services.

But, among workers who cannot work from home, just 3 in 10 say the same of their companies. In fact, among this, group 2 in 10 say their company is a laggard – it only adopts new products or services once they’ve become mainstream.

Ultimately, remote working can only be successful if companies have effective digital collaboration and communication tools that are accessible to everyone.

Among remote workers, 35% agree that collaboration tools, such as Slack and Microsoft Teams, are effective ways for teams to communicate with each other – falling to just 17% of those not permitted to work from home.

Yet, even among employees that can work remotely, their perspectives differ by country.

In India, 42% of this group think collaborative tools are effective for communication, but this falls to 25% in France and just 19% in Germany.

Age matters too; among Gen Z remote workers, 42% say that collaboration tools are effective for communication, but for baby boomer remote workers, this falls to just 17%.

While seniority may be rewarded with work-from-home options, often it’s the younger employees who are best set to use the tools which make remote working efficient.

As coronavirus forces more businesses to adopt remote working, many are recognizing the usefulness of these tools.

Slack’s group messaging app grew by 7,000 paying customers since the start of February, or 40% more than it normally has in an entire quarter, while Microsoft Teams had 44m users in a single day last week, it first surpassed 20m only four months ago.

These tools are becoming increasingly crucial to companies adhering to social distancing measures, but it remains to be seen just how efficiently new users will be able to adopt and adapt to these services.

3. Tech and telecoms lead the pack.

Certain sectors and countries stand out from the rest as having above average work-from- home options.

Globally, 75% of knowledge workers can work from home, but among different markets this fluctuates, increasing to 81% in India and 77% in the UK and falling dramatically to 50% in Japan.

Culture and state economics are key elements to these differences. As working from home is now effectively mandated by governments, countries with a conservative working culture (like Japan) are having to adapt fast.

India’s knowledge workers have grown in number over the last twenty years and many foreign businesses are taking advantage of the high cost differential by outsourcing work to Indian remote working freelance workers.

The effect of coronavirus on freelancers in India is yet to be seen. As Chandrika Pasricha, CEO of India’s Flexing It, reports: “For us business is actually up – we continue to see strong growth in demand for our consultants, both in India and from our international clients who leverage us for remote consulting or research support.”

While the opportunity to work remotely may fluctuate across the globe, certain sectors stand out globally as the leading advocates for working from home.

At 87%, employees in the technology and communication sector are the most likely to be permitted to work from home and 1.5 times as likely as the average to be an innovator when it comes to adopting new technology or software products or services.

Businesses in this sector are often incorporating new technologies before anyone else and this is making working from home far easier.

Chart showing remote working by country and sector.

Large, multinational tech firms, including Twitter and Facebook were the first companies to promote remote working during the coronavirus pandemic.

What raises concerns is that the sectors key to everyday life – namely, healthcare, education, and government – are the least likely to permit remote working.

During the coronavirus pandemic, making sure employees from these vital sectors can get to work and do their job safely, is a major challenge for many affected countries.

There are numerous ways governments can do this, for instance by restricting travel to only key workers and by reducing the strain on medical staff through social-distancing.

4. Remote working could help overcome industry challenges.

The coronavirus pandemic is drastically affecting all industries.

Employees are being asked to work from home and if infrastructure isn’t already in place to facilitate this change, businesses will struggle.

Among employees who are permitted to work from home, 64% say that at their company, they have the tools and systems in place to adapt quickly to industry changes. This falls to just 47% among employees who can’t work from home.

Businesses that are able to implement remote working at scale appear to create a more agile working culture, that lets them respond quickly to sudden developments – pandemics included. Remote working can bring wider benefits to a business when properly implemented.

Chart showing home is crucial for companies looking to adapt to industry changes.

The economic threat of coronavirus is not industry specific, it’s globally penetrating and incredibly disruptive.

But companies that have tried and tested work-from-home policies are best equipped to overcome significant industry changes.

It should be noted that despite the proliferation of collaborative online tools, remote working can often complicate communication between employees.

For instance, 51% of employees that can work from home agree that it can be challenging to communicate with co-workers in different teams, departments, or offices – this falls to just 39% of employees who can’t work from home.

Any business’ remote working solution to coronavirus has to address this as part of its operational plan.

What’s more, there are other costs for employees associated with remote working such as a tendency to work longer hours.

Despite this, now that working from home has become a forced reality for many people, it’s those companies that have promoted remote working previously which are best set to overcome this challenge.

Hype aside, what do people actually think about 5G?

Duncan Kavanagh

As highlighted in our 2020 trends report, there’s an ongoing tension between wanting to stay connected and contactable, and wanting to be autonomous enough to “switch off”.

This means the introduction of 5G, which brings with it faster, improved wireless technology, comes at an interesting time.

5G is the next generation of wireless tech found at the heart of cellular and communicative networks.

As with any upgrade, faster speeds and consistency are a guarantee, but 5G promises to be up to 10 times faster than what current 4G LTE technology allows.

It guarantees faster data speeds, a reduction in lag time, and a greater density for smart devices – factors that could eventually become catalysts for things like autonomous driving and connected cities.

But while there’s been a lot of hype around the potential of 5G, relatively little is known about what consumers actually think about it.

We ran a custom survey in the UK and U.S. to explore the adoption, perception, and obstacles of 5G.

Here are four things we learned.

1. Awareness and demand for 5G is on the rise.

In the UK and U.S., two countries at the forefront of the 5G revolution, 83% of internet users correctly know what 5G refers to.

Consumers in both markets are experiencing 5G for the first time via their smartphones, making mobile an important testing ground for the new technology.

Instinet analyst Jeffrey Kvaal expects “a large increase” in 5G unit sales for 2020 – although he thinks most of these sales will come at the expense of 4G devices, rather than a rush of upgrades.

Things will develop quickly this year: Verizon expects to launch 20 devices with access to 5G by the end of 2020, in addition to the seven that currently exist. Alongside this, both Verizon and AT&T plan to add new cities to their coverage, with the latter expecting to have nationwide coverage in the not too distant future.

But do people actually think of 5G as an essential feature? Yes, and to a much higher extent than before.

Last year, we found only 27% of smartphone owners in the UK and U.S. said 5G compatibility was an important smartphone feature.

Fast-forward to our most recent custom survey, and 42% of 5G-aware consumers say compatibility is an important feature for their next smartphone purchase.

Slightly different question formats and base audiences could well be influencing and inflating figures here. However, we can confidently say that 5G has become more sought-after as an integral smartphone feature, and will be a key selling point for all mobile providers going forward.

This has largely been facilitated by advertising, which has generated awareness and excitement among consumers.

The desire for 5G varies demographically, however.

While 45% of 5G-aware U.S. consumers say 5G is important in their next smartphone purchase, this drops significantly to 27% in the UK.

Similar differences occur when segmenting by gender –one in two 5G-aware males regard 5G as a key functionality, compared to only 1 in 3 females.

2. Reception to 5G advertising varies.

Why 5G is useful or integral to a person’s day-to-day online activities can be hard to convey, especially as audiences at different technology adoption stages may perceive 5G to be beneficial in different ways.

For example, early adopters (those who say they’re in possession of a 5G-enabled smartphone) are the most likely to be excited by coverage in difficult-to-reach locations.

On the other hand, the early majority (those who will trade in their current smartphone for one with 5G either as soon as it’s available or when it’s more affordable) are the most likely to be swayed by downloads speeds in comparison to 4G.

The late majority (those who plan to wait out their current contract and assess the benefits of 5G or see whether others find 5G phones useful) are generally less sure of what they’re most excited about.

However, both the early and late majority are more likely to be excited about 5G outperforming household broadband speeds – compared to early adopters, who already have a 5G-enabled phone.

As 5G coverage is still in the process of being rolled-out, inconsistent or unreliable coverage may mean household broadband speed is still the better option when at home – at least for now.

3. Large venues will be a key touchpoint.

We asked what 5G-related features consumers in the UK and U.S. are most excited about, and our results indicate that their understanding of 5G is still quite simplistic.

Understandably, there’s more excitement around tangible benefits that have an immediate impact, like better quality video streaming and better battery.

The one tangible benefit that resonates across all technology adoption stages is better service in locations with poor reception.

Large venues require massive amounts of data. At any given performance, show or game, there are fans, venue owners, franchises, concession businesses, broadcasters, and network operators all competing to share information as quickly as possible.

Currently, a hybrid model of WiFi and 4G is in place to serve the connectivity needs of individuals in these areas. But often, this model isn’t enough – especially as fans begin to demand more, feeling the pull of an arguably better experience at home in front of the TV, when supplemented by other screens.

Given the increase in data consumption at sports venues (sports venues are seeing a 67% growth in data-usage year-on-year) the time is ripe for an innovation that will improve the sports entertainment experience.

In fact, research commissioned by software specialists Amdocs suggests that most people will first experience 5G connectivity at a major sporting event.

As professional sports try to offset the current trend of an aging fan base, they need to look at ways they can benefit their younger audiences. Keeping these younger consumers engaged means improving the fan experience at venues, at home, or on the move.

4. Price hikes surrounding 5G remain the biggest concern.

The potential increase in smartphone costs (41%) is by far the most-cited concern about 5G among 5G-aware consumers in the UK and U.S., particularly for females (45%), Gen Z (46%) and late majority adopters (46%).

This comes ahead of concerns about privacy, potential radiation, and becoming overly attached to devices.

But where do these concerns stem from?

The pricing of flagship phones is far from stagnant, having steadily increased for a number of years.

This has contributed to “sticker shock”, which describes the surprise felt when the actual cost of a mobile becomes known to a potential buyer – this can be glossed over by broken-down figures such as monthly fees.

But even before we account for the possibility of consumers being misled, it’s clear phone prices have skyrocketed. In 2016, for example, Samsung charged $670 for a brand new Galaxy 7, whereas this year’s Galaxy S10 starts at $900.

Even more recently, Samsung unveiled its trio of Galaxy S20 devices, which come with 5G as a default and range from under $999.99 to $1,399 for a S20 Ultra.

After relatively flat sales in 2019, Samsung hopes that selling more expensive phones in 2020 will give the brand a much sought-after boost. Indeed, with far more consumers owning smartphones today, and owning them for longer periods of time, it’s now harder than ever to convince masses of people to upgrade.

5G development is by no means cheap, either. In their 2025 capex forecasts, GSMA Intelligence predict operators will spend over $1.3 trillion over the next seven years – with the bulk of that allocated to 5G.

Because it’s unlikely that there’ll be a single app for 5G, operators will have to adopt an individual approach to secure their own revenue generation.

5G networks will have to be built in a modular way, to offer customized and scalable services, which will inevitably increase costs.

On top of this, a report from Oxford Economics (commissioned by Huawei) predicts that barring vendors from the market and controlling the rate of 5G adoption could cost countries 8-29% more for 5G over the next decade.

The report also concludes that the increase in investment costs would also lead to delays in the network rollout, meaning that millions fewer people still won’t have benefited from 5G coverage by 2023.

The future is uncertain

While tensions between Huawei and the U.S. persist, the EU has decided not to ban the Chinese telecom giant from operating in Europe.

That said, the EU is struggling to find a middle ground between Huawei’s huge dominance in the 5G sector and the company’s associated security concerns put forward by the state of Washington.

There are also financial concerns in the case that Huawei were to be banned altogether: limiting the use of Huawei devices from BT’s EE 5G mobile and full-fibre broadband networks will cost the Britishtelecoms group $650 million over the next five years, for example.

Meanwhile, the U.S. still perceives Huawei as a potential threat to cybersecurity and fears it would facilitate cyber espionage by the Chinese government. This is likely why 14% of 5G-aware consumers in the UK think Huawei is the leader in the 5G race, compared to only 6% in the U.S.

It’s also important to remember that technology is gaining traction beyond China and the U.S., as Europe hurries to compete in the 5G race as well.

With Vodafone Germany and Deutsche Telekom Germany having launched 5G services in several cities in 2019, we’re about to see less talk and more action in the West.

Taking your analysis further: 4 things you can do with crosstab builder

Sam Ernest-Jones

When you have large amounts of raw data, you need structure. Crosstabs help you get it.

While they’re nothing new for researchers, finding a single tool to input, analyze and format large amounts of data is still a challenge.

Our crosstab builder allows you to carry out complex analysis with ease and flexibility, without having to leave the platform, guiding you towards meaningful patterns and helping you discover important truths from the numbers.

This drives greater efficiencies and puts your research team in a better position to serve your clients and the teams you’re working with.

Here we break down 4 things you can do with our crosstab builder, uncovering how this tool can help you remove unnecessary complexity, allowing you to focus on what matters most: unearthing game-changing consumer insights.

1. Process large amounts of data in one place.

Simply put, crosstab builder allows you to extract a lot of data, very quickly.

And for someone who’s used to using crosstabs in their work, it’s highly intuitive.

Being able to use a single tool to collect, input and analyze vast amounts of data points means interrogating the data in complex and sophisticated ways becomes a streamlined experience.

In the past, for more complicated runs involving bespoke target audience building, researchers would have had to use a host of other programs simultaneously.

Jennyfer Sellem, Research Manager at Discovery Networks International, explains her team’s usual process for data analysis has been transformed by the tool because they no longer need to switch between multiple programs.

“Crosstab builder has made such a big difference because it has completely solved this issue for me. Plus, I love that the data is instantaneous.“

2. Address multiple questions simultaneously.

It’s now possible to compare multiple bases against each other. Whatever you input is up to you.

Look at any number of questions from the survey at the same time across geographic, demographic and psychographic data points. You can even split attributes across dozens of custom audiences.

The benefit to you is being able to:

Profile one or more audiences.
Explore the relationships between two or more data points.
See overlaps and disparities between two different audiences.

You can intersect anything and everything: cross-analyze, segment, or overlay audiences and data, for a much deeper understanding.

Having the power to view many queries and data points side-by-side helps you discover the correlations between rows and columns and explore the relationship between two or more data points – all in the same view.

3. Customize your template.

Crosstab’s customizable function means you can sort the data so it’s digestible and visually appealing, according to your needs.

You can build tables using your own template, pre-set audiences to get an instant and intuitive look at the queries you specify, without having to bring in additional tools.

You can adjust the metrics that are displayed in the interface, swap rows or columns and even display metrics as individual rows.

With your crosstab set exactly how you want it, you and your team can save the template for next time.

4. Heatmap: find salient data points at a glance.

Making complex data analysis more efficient is at the heart of crosstab builder, and the heatmap function is a key part of this.

It helps you quickly find useful information from your crosstab, highlighting high or low metric values in a variable spectrum of colors, based on your own criteria.

The heatmap can be applied to your metric of choice:

Percentages within columns.
Percentages within rows.
Over or under indexes.

But how does it work?

All of the current metrics in the platform are applied on a ‘relative scale base’.

This means the system takes the highest and lowest values for the chosen metric in the crosstab and highlights notable findings using a scale of ten different colors.

So when casting your eye over your crosstab, percentage and index hotspots can be seen instantly.

Simplifying a complex process

For crosstabs to be effective, you need to process large amounts of information, organize it effectively, and extract the most important parts.

Our crosstab builder was created to do just that, but with the added bonus of these extra functions, all consolidated in one platform.

The end goal for every research professional remains the same: being able to build a more in-depth, accurate and rounded picture of your audience, faster. Tools like this mean that while your analysis can be complex, your process doesn’t have to be.

Persona Spotlight: Generation X

Tom Morris

Representing 3 in 10 internet users globally, Generation X (aged 37-55 years old) consists of individuals born between 1964-1982.

They’re considered a difficult group to reach, mistakenly defined by millennial and baby boomer characteristics.

Quite often dismissed simply as busy professionals, with considerable spending power and family-oriented values, this generation saw the technological revolution hit its stride with the likes of 0G cell-phones, MTV and the birth of the internet.

Our data reveals the truth behind this ‘forgotten’ generation by highlighting the facts and breaking the common misconceptions about their online habits, sure to give you the upper hand when targeting them.

1. They’re quickly catching up on social media.

Despite arriving late to the social media scene, they’re rapidly catching up with the millennial and Gen Z audiences that preceded them to these platforms.

Gen Xers average just over 2 hours a day on social media, with those in MEA and LatAm being the heaviest users (at around 3 hours). Of this audience, female Gen Xers spend the longest amount of time here, clocking an average of 2 hours 15 minutes a day, a quarter of an hour ahead of males.

Despite spending less time on social media each day than millennials, by roughly 36 minutes, this difference is gradually shrinking, having fallen from 48 minutes in 2018.

While they spend more time on social media, Gen Xers preference for different platforms is also widening.

Facebook might see the highest membership from this audience outside of China, but, since late 2015, Instagram and Snapchat membership has almost doubled. Meanwhile, TikTok, though far more popular among Gen Zs, is also beginning to take off.

One of the reasons why Gen X’s social media time is still on the rise is because they’re less keen than their younger counterparts to jump on the digital detox bandwagon.

While younger audiences are actively trying to regulate their digital activity – nearly 3 in 10 millennials and Gen Zs track their screen time each month – only 1 in 5 Gen Xers have done the same.

Another possible reason is that, compared to Gen X, younger age groups are now using social media more passively.

When on these sites, 4 in 10 Gen Zs fill up their spare time or search for funny content, while Gen Xers still flock to their social accounts with a greater emphasis on socializing.

Over 6 in 10 Gen Xers agree the internet makes them feel closer to people.

This is also evident from their most important reasons for using social media.

These sites allow them to stay in touch with friends (35% say this), network with others (28%) and share their photos (27%). In fact, 1 in 4 say they use social media simply because a lot of their friends are active on it.

So how can brands target them on these platforms?

Given the influence active users can have on other like-minded individuals, Gen X are an important audience for brands – with over 1 in 3 following brands they like on social media.

While they spend significantly less time on social media than Gen Z, the likelihood of them discovering new brands via comments or recommendations on these platforms shows little difference (24% of Gen Z and 22% of Gen X typically learn of new brands in this way).

Sharing near-equal methods of brand discovery on social media, Gen X and Gen Z brand interactions here are beginning to catch up too – 18% of Gen Zs clicked on a promoted social network post in the past month, compared to 15% of Gen Xers.

But social media serves two functions here: brand discovery and brand advocacy.

In general, just under 6 in 10 Gen Xers say they regularly inform friends and family about new products. As such, social media makes the perfect space to do this – just shy of 1 in 5 Gen Xers used a “share” button on a website in the past month.

As Gen X further encroaches on the online space formerly dominated by younger audiences, realizing the potential of their influence here is crucial.

But they’re not replacing these audiences, they’re carving out a reputation as digital individuals, following brands and each other with the intention of spreading the word wherever they can.

2. They’re shifting to digital media fast.

Just as they’ve caught up with the social media revolution, they’re making strides toward new media and devices in general, giving marketers the chance to reach them in new places.

In 2015, Gen Xers spent just under 4 hours a day using PC/laptops, 35 minutes ahead of Gen Zs. But now, despite being the first generation to experience these devices as the norm, their use of these devices has fallen to around 3 hours and 18 minutes and on a par with Gen Zs.

Instead, they’ve flocked to smartphones. Since 2015, the average time spent on this device by Gen Xers has climbed from 1 hour 52 minutes, to 2 hours 45 minutes everyday – a far cry from the 4 hours a day Gen Z’s spend here, but enough to disrupt their PC/laptop usage greatly.

Given the ubiquity of smartphones, this is to be expected. But it does demonstrate that they’re far from being a traditional audience, having embraced mobile just like their younger counterparts. It’s their time spent reading press that highlights a readiness to disregard offline media in favor of digital.

Today, they spend around 47 minutes reading physical press, falling behind online press, where they spend just over an hour everyday.

It’s younger audiences, however, that are turning to physical press.

For example, Gen Zs are now reading this form of media for at least an hour a day, 10 minutes more than Gen Xers and more than 20 minutes more than they were in 2015.

But that’s not to say they’re moving on to digital media entirely.

Gen Xers looked to TV as the go-to device for almost everything entertainment in their youth, which is why they’re now spending over 2 hours a day watching linear TV, 23 minutes more than millennials and 45 minutes more than Gen Zs.

Moreover, 36% of Gen Xers discover brands via ads seen on TV – more so than younger generations and second only to baby-boomers (43%) – making this an important touchpoint for media planning.

Online TV, however, is yet to take off with this audience, who spend 1 hour 12 minutes a day here, compared to around an hour and a half for Gen Zs. But, given the rate at which Gen Xers are edging toward this form of media, this is likely to change in the future.

For example, though time spent watching linear TV remained stable since 2015, online TV has risen by 30% in the same timeframe.

Generally, smartphones have opened the door to watching online TV – over 1 in 3 internet users watch subscription services via mobile. But Gen Xers are yet to catch up here, with 1 in 4 watching online TV in this manner, still preferring traditional TV sets to watch online TV (34%).

Watching TV on smartphones has surpassed the use of PC/Laptops for Gen Xers. Given the manner in which mobiles have overtaken PCs across the 36 online activities we track for Gen Xers, the gap is expected to widen in the future.

Gen Xers are a generation with intrigue toward the new, exemplified by their increasing use of social media, smartphones and online press, and with this level of digital flexibility comes the opportunity for brands to reach them in far more places.

3. They’re no technophobes.

Generally speaking, it’s common to associate new technology with younger audiences. Over two-thirds of Gen Zs agree they are constantly connected online (69%), compared to only 44% of baby boomers who say the same.

However, this is a classic example where Gen X is misappropriated with these neighbouring generations. Following closely behind Gen Zs, 6 in 10 Gen Xers say they’re constantly connected online (62%).

We’ve already seen how quick they’ve adopted social media and online shopping into their purchase habits, but they’re the generation who’s first to look to the internet when they need information in general (80% say this).

Gen X are, in fact, engaged with new technology more than you might think, with over 4 in 10 (45%) sharing a general interest in technology and half agreeing that its very important for them to have the latest technological products – a figure that only rises slightly for Gen Z’s (54%).

In a world where tech angst is rising, Gen Xers are yet to experience the same problem as younger audiences, being relatively unfazed by technology’s rapid advancement; while 39% of Gen Zs claim technology makes life more complicated, 36% of Gen Xers share the sentiment.

For this generation, technology is a vast improvement in day-to-day life and they’re keen to invest in tech that can improve it further.

Take smart home products as a prime example of this; 3 in 10 smart home product owners are Gen X – with the most popular product being smart speakers, used by over half of those who own a smart home product.

Though these devices are relatively niche, Gen Xers prove that older audiences are willing to adopt new technology if it can provide value in their daily life.

This is where smart utility and security devices factor in. Owned by over 3 in 10 Gen Xers with smart home products, these devices can assist them with controlling thermostats, lights and other household fittings.

However, there are some examples where this audience, tech-oriented as they might be, are actually still fully cemented in their ways.

4. A multi-device approach is important in reaching them.

As the generation who championed mobile phones and PCs in their earliest iteration, they’ve no trouble using either of the two devices to accomplish an array of online tasks.

Smartphones are the go-to device globally for all internet users, and Gen Xers are no different, using the devices more than PCs to perform all of the online activities we track.

But compared to younger internet users, despite adapting to using the smartphone for more activities than PCs/laptops, they still spend more time online using PCs everyday than mobiles (around half an hour longer).

Gen Xers have yet to reach the mobile tipping point and strategies should be in place for both smartphones and PC/laptops.

Having witnessed the first home computers in the 1970’s/80’s, Gen Xers are more comfortable using computers for certain activities, the majority of which are commerce related.

For example, just under half of this group search for new products on PCs/laptops, with a further 41% saying they purchased a product online here. This is 13% more likely than other internet users, and their second most-distinctive online activity on this device.

If we split across the world regions, the picture is significantly different. Generally, mobiles have the lead in APAC, LatAm and MEA regions, where consumers are typically more mobile-centric – over half of Gen Xers in APAC purchased a product online via smartphone against just over 1 in 3 in Europe.

The majority of Gen Xers in Europe and North America, where internet penetration is higher, are still more likely to reach for a desktop for these activities in the consumer journey – 54% of Gen Xers in Europe, and 58% in North America purchased products on this device.

Are they really forgotten?

Gen Xers, despite having wasted no time in adapting to modern technology, ecommerce and social media are disregarded in favor of millennial and Gen Z audiences, who have been key in impacting digitally-forward consumer trends.

As with any generation, the deal-breaker is to understand the needs of Gen X without generalization, preparing for online and offline engagement equally.

With a social mindset and varied range of methods to discover, advocate and purchase products, Gen X’s interaction may prove just as rewarding as the other audiences we spotlight.

Aspirational consumers: what brands should know

Doug Gorman

Many consumers today look to their future and strive for much more than material success. They want to become better people.

For decades, marketers have lumped consumers into groups along ethnic, regional and generational lines.

However, in order to truly understand what makes a target audience tick, marketers need to look toward deeper truths: who are these consumers, what do they think about, and what motivates their decisions? These kinds of insights come from in-depth analysis into a person’s mindset and their psychographic tendencies.

When we do this, and ask the right questions, we find that one attitudinal trait is central among many younger consumers’ psyches: aspiration.

Aspirational consumers¹ strive for more in life; they enjoy pushing themselves to learn new skills and tend to be career-oriented and opportunistic.

These consumers are on the lookout for brands that can help them become more successful people.

As aspirational consumers make up a significant portion of the global population, with 39% of all consumers falling into this group, they’re a crucial audience to consider for every brand’s marketing strategy.

Here’s what to know.

They’re young and career focused.

We know aspirational consumers are young; 43% of 16-24 year olds are part of this audience, compared to just 23% of 55-64s.

Regionally, internet users in Latin America are 56% more likely to be considered aspirational, while users in the Middle East and Africa are 47% more likely.

Even in more mature markets with less likelihood for aspirational consumers, the youth population still contributes a significant share of aspirationals as a whole. In Europe, 34% of 16-24s are aspirational, while in North America 40% of 16-24s respectively are aspirational.

The fact that younger consumers make up a sizable portion of all aspirational consumers doesn’t necessarily translate to a diminished purchasing power.

58% of aspirational consumers are full-time workers, 10% are self-employed or freelancers, and only 13% are students.

This group is also 30% more likely than the average internet user to be a senior manager, and over a quarter of aspirationals are mid-level managers or higher.

Their personal interests also reflect an intense focus on wealth growth and career progression. In the last quarter of 2019 this group were more likely to show interest in entrepreneurship (37%), business (35%), and investments (27%) than the average internet user.

Aspirationals are also extremely conscious of how others perceive them. Over 6 in 10 say they like to stand out in crowds, keep up with the latest fashions, and believe that money is the best measure of success.

That’s not to say they’re consumed with their image. 94% say family is the most important thing in their life and 89% like to be surrounded by different people cultures, ideas, and lifestyles.

Their quality of character is further confirmed when we compare aspirational consumers with other attitudinal segments.

To account for the impact their younger age profile might entail, we compared aspirationals to other consumers aged 16-24, and found they’re still over 1.5 times more likely to be categorized as ”status seekers” and “altruists”; meaning those who care about their social standing and the amount of good they can bring into the world.

They prioritize learning.

As expected, aspirational consumers take every opportunity possible to achieve their goals.

85% say they both pursue a life of challenge and try to fit as much into their day as possible, while 7 in 10 describe themselves as risk takers and say they invest their money proactively.

96% say it’s important to develop new skills throughout life, while 94% agree it’s important to be well informed.

In their effort to better themselves, this audience turns to industries that will educate them on new skills and the state of the world. So it’s no surprise that in any given week, when they turn on the TV, 69% watch the news or current affairs.

In the same time frame, they’re also 28% more likely to tune in to educational programs.

These themes persist across almost all media. For example, in a given month these consumers are a third more likely to use educational apps and say their main reason for using social media (43%) is to stay up-to-date with current affairs.

For the information industry, news organizations and educational content providers, these consumers are going to be the most important focus of marketing efforts going forward.

Companies like Masterclass, in which successful thought-leaders give in-depth lessons on their particular craft, and Skillshare, an online hub of educational videos on topics from animation to cooking, are perfectly positioned to capture this aspirational market.

By providing educational content, often taught by entrepreneurs themselves, these platforms are offering exactly what aspirationals look for in an online streaming format, where they spend a great deal of their time.

Social media is their go to space for brand interactions.

With aspirational consumers spending so much time on each form of media, it may seem hard for marketers to determine where to reach these people.

However, on average, aspirationals spend nearly half an hour more per day on social media compared to the average internet user.

Nearly half of aspirationals follow brands they like on social media, and it’s the second highest ranked place to go when researching brands.

Social media is therefore a key space to grow brand advocacy.

Aspirational consumers are an extremely engaged audience across social media platforms, being 20-30% more likely than the average internet user to have interacted with a brand in some form on social media in the past month.

The top 3 social media platforms they use daily are YouTube (65%), Facebook (58%), and Instagram (48%), but they’re more than 1.3 times as likely to also use LinkedIn, Pinterest and Snapchat on a daily basis as well.

Within each of these platforms, viewing and sharing videos are almost always in the top 3 ranked behaviors.

When considering campaigns on social media to capture aspirational consumers’ attention, companies should leverage the types of people these consumers follow most on social media.

Among them, are:

1. Singers, musicians or bands (40%)
2. Actors (39%)
3. News media organizations (36%)

They’re focused on improving themselves and the world around them.

On top of their own efforts to become better people, aspirational consumers are starting to expect the same commitment to communal causes from the companies they do business with.

Just as 86% say that it’s very important to contribute to their communities, 48% want their favorite brands to be socially responsible.

51% of aspirationals want these brands to be eco-friendly, and 4 in 5 of this group says they would pay a premium for a sustainable or eco-friendly product.

Similarly, over half of them revealed they donate to charity at least once a month, which supports the fact they’re 22% more likely to want brands to show support for charities as well.

3 in 4 aspirational consumers say they tend to buy the premium version of a product, which aligns with their higher than average focus on social status and appearing affluent.

But that doesn’t mean we should consider them shallow. Compared to the average internet user, aspirationals have an increased interest in volunteering (25% more likely) and environmental issues (19% more likely), and over half of this audience falls into our “current affairs & causes enthusiasts” audience segment.

Companies are catching on. In an annual letter to CEO’s, Larry Fink, head of the world’s largest investment fund, BlackRock, suggests themes that should guide company policies in the upcoming year.

This January, he stated that the intensifying climate crisis would bring about a “fundamental reshaping of finance”.

And while companies have long worked within larger communities promoting charitable programs, in recent times there’s been a shift – toward those starting to address their own environmental footprint, a feeling strongly shared by our aspirational consumer segment.

For instance, Delta revealed its 10-year plan to become carbon-neutral, Jeff Bezos committed $10 Billion of his own money to address climate change, and Microsoft announced its goal to be carbon negative by 2030.

Looking forward, companies can win over aspirational consumers when they convince them that their brands offer the opportunity to learn, grow, and increase their status, while bringing about positive social and environmental changes.

¹Aspirational consumers are defined as those who agree they always strive to achieve more in life and strongly agree they are career oriented, continue to develop new skills throughout life, like to challenge themselves, consider money the best measure of success or seize opportunities that come their way

Cashing in on banking trends: a guide for brands

Sam Ernest-Jones

banking trends: man looking at online banking

Personal finance is so far into its transformation, even the term ‘challenger banks’ sounds dated.

Arguably, no other industry has seen such a big generational shift than personal banking.

We’ve witnessed a surge of mobile-native disrupters entering the market, and today their cards and apps haven taken up permanent residence in many wallets and phones.

For the digitally-savvy Gen Z and millennial audiences, the attraction of ‘banking at your fingertips’ is forcing established high street finance brands to innovate. Coupled with new compliance and regulation policies, this has become a very competitive sector.

With consumer-centricity the driving force behind this change, there’s a growing need for both challenger and established banks to understand who their audiences are and what they want from personal finance services.

Here are the banking trends changing the face of the industry as we know it.

The rising mobile banking trend

The digital banking trend ins’t going away anytime soon, so keeping up with the latest in mobile banking is an important part of building out a loyal customer base. And they’re a fickle bunch:

44% of UK and U.S. millennials want to change banks in the next 12 months, so the days of remaining loyal to a bank for the long term appear to be behind us.

Established banks, like many large companies, respond slower to digital innovation. And with all banks looking to future-proof their operations in this turbulent market, mobile has been a key focus.

Not only is smartphone ownership now almost universal (with regional variations), mobiles remain the most important device for getting online.

As such, opportunities in the banking sector have shifted.

This has paved the way for smaller, nimbler players like digital-only challenger banks and financial services promising an exclusively mobile experience that cater for every need.

The convenience and time-saving advantages of banking via mobile – allowing users to make transactions, pay bills, transfer money and monitor their financial affairs at the touch of a screen – have proven extremely valuable.

In Q4 2019, 73% of consumers said they used an internet banking service in the past month.

And when we look at the most commonly used devices to view finances on, mobile is the clear favorite.

Banking trends: most popular device used for mobile banking.

By offering an insight-driven experience along the online journey, digital banks are giving customers what they want, presented in the quality of experience they expect.

Expanding the online banking demographic

A look at the age breakdown here illustrates the universal appeal of online banking, and particularly the increasing influence of mobile.

According to the Global Mobile Payment Market report, the market is projected to grow at an annual rate of 33% between 2019 and 2026. It’s estimated the market will be worth $457 billion by the end of that period.

The continuing legacy of PCs/laptops among older users is clear to see, with banking via these more “traditional” devices seeing a higher uptake among older age groups.

And if we turn our attention over to mobile banking, then we see the opposite trend in effect, with 25-34 year-olds having a 16-point lead over the oldest age group (55-64s).

While these converging trends may seem somewhat predictable, what they do tell us is that this new way of handling our financial affairs via mobile has expanded the appeal of online banking among the largest cohort of the global online population: Millennials.

And they have high expectations.

Chart showing what millennials want from digital finance.

Meeting new consumer demands

As the above chart shows, banking trends like this are highly consumer driven; they want the features of their banking brands to integrate with their lifestyles.

With online bankers active over a wider span of media than ever before, omnichannel strategies should be brought in to initiate conversations and provide a seamless customer experience – which is by no means reserved for retail shopping.

Achieving a consistent, cross-channel experience is something consumers increasingly expect.

In 2020, 43% of mobile banking users, for example, want a brand to provide customer-centric services and products that help to simplify daily life, while 35% want brands to offer customized or personalized products.

As global banking becomes more mobile based, the need to meet consumer expectations is heightened by the convenience that smartphones bring to every other aspect of our lives.

The role of social media and online banking

A major channel needed to build a smooth customer journey is social media.

It should come as no surprise that social is a crucial channel for brands to target young, digitally-engaged audiences.

Internet users are now spending an average of 2 hours and 24 minutes per day on social networks and messaging apps.

Having said that, it appears social is reaching its saturation point because time spent on platforms has either slightly decreased or stayed the same in 22 out of the 46 markets we survey.

Regardless, social has a dominant role to play in engaging consumers – but the challenge comes when identifying the most important channels and how to engage their customers effectively.

Social platforms gaining from mobile payments

What mobile payments have a great deal to offer to social media services in terms of potential revenue, and with over 1 in 4 online adults having used their mobile to pay for an item or service in the past month, the addressable market is considerable.

The vast reach of these social media platforms, as well as their ubiquitous presence in the daily lives of online adults, makes them the ideal medium to push these services into the mainstream.

As such, social networks are another part of the explanation as to why APAC outscores other regions by such a considerable distance, and it’s rooted in the way mobile payment providers in this region have chosen to approach the consumer.

Services targeting Western markets like Google Pay, Samsung Pay or Apple Pay are native to mobile handsets or operating systems (although Huawei and Xiaomi have introduced their own native services too). This tactic may boost sales to some extent, but this inevitably limits their addressable market, especially in fast-growth economies in which cheaper handsets prevail.

By using robust consumer data you can identify your audiences’ social media habits, motivations and attitudes, and form a strategy to fit.

The open banking advantage

New technologies, such as open banking, allow third-party providers to access customer data via APIs.

This banking trend helps to provide new digital solutions to customers, including cash management. With open banking, the financial services and retail banking industries can connect with other digital platforms, improving the overall banking experience.

If banks don’t seize the open banking initiative in adhering to consumers’ lifestyles, other contenders may beat them to the finish line with new technologies.

In the UK retail banking sector, there’s been a lot of attention on challenger banks like Monzo, Revolut and Starling, but Google, Amazon, and even Facebook will not just sit and watch this trend pass by.

They will have the advantage of a bigger foothold in consumers’ day-to-day, and rich datasets to build out their financial offerings and gain market share.

These digital transformations to the banking system change the rule book. Now customer-centric banking services – from both traditional banks and new entrants – compete against each other for market share, allowing new, dynamic players to enter.

Doing it well: Revolut

UK-based challenger, Revolut, has accumulated nearly 6 million customers in just four years and continues to rapidly gain in popularity.

Claiming to go “beyond banking”, Revolute’s app lets users open a bank account in minutes, and offers features like free transactions in around 130 currencies, personal budgeting tools, currency exchanges at real rates, and free debit cards with global delivery.

Revolut combines a slick interface and user-friendly features with great offers and a true sense of customer-centricity.

They’ve also mastered their social offering. A glance at their Twitter feed shows they’re not ‘cut from the traditional banking cloth’, offering advice and information in a fresh, funny and engaging way.

As one user review says: “Revolut gives you everything you’d expect from a bank and so much more, all without actually being one.”

Doing it well: First Direct

First Direct is a brand that has gained loyalty by providing a top quality brand experience, and according to Money Saving Expert, is the bank most likely to be recommended by customers in 2020.

Despite its success, the brand has moved its brand message away from having ‘great customer service,’ to position itself as a ‘modern bank.’

Even this movement is highly consumer-driven. Zoe Burns-Shore, First Direct’s Head of Brand and Marketing, told Marketing Week, “We’ve asked our customers if they’d prefer First Direct to be digital only and there’s actually resistance because around mortgages and complex banking issues people like to be reassured that there’s a human on the other end of the phone waiting to help them.”

It’s a great example of a retail bank continuously checking in with their core consumer base, and, as a result, generating positive feeling among their target audience.

4 banking trends to take away

Mobile has irreversibly changed the face of banking, and as uptake increases, it’s on track to becoming exclusively mobile-first.
Millennials want digital banking features that integrate with their lifestyles.
A multi-channel approach isn’t just nice to have, it’s needed to create the perfect purchase journey for consumers.
Social is perhaps the most valuable channel for reaching mobile bankers.