Healthcare: Remote Medicine Continues Rising
During the past year, there has been a rise in telemedicine and remote consultations as a means of safely seeing patients during the pandemic. Still, remote health has quickly solidified a place in the healthcare sector. As a time saver and accessibility tool, telehealth allows physicians to see more patients, more efficiently.
Wearable technology is also popular for tracking movements, sleep patterns, and even heart rate. These devices can provide doctors with the necessary data to provide personalized healthcare.
Manufacturing: 3D Technology Printing Faster Supply Chains
This coming year there is likely to be a surge in the use of 3D printing technology in manufacturing. More and more manufacturers are discovering how 3D printing can assist and alleviate stress on supply chains.
There is also going to be a return to a focus on environmental sustainability as concerns regarding Covid-19 safety begin to lessen. There was a shift back towards single use plastics during the pandemic for their safety benefits – but we are likely now to see a returning shift towards reusable and paper-based products.
Automotive: Electric Cars Taking Their Share
Affordability, safety, and sustainability are the three main focuses of the automotive sector going forward. As more and more young people choose not to purchase personal vehicles and as environmental concerns grow, electric cars and shareability will be necessary for the industry.
Manufacturers are going to be choosing computer power over horsepower. Technology led competition is likely going to drive digital innovation in the automotive sector.
Energy: Environmental Sustainability Raising the Stakes (and Prices)
Clean and carbon free energy is the direction of the future; decarbonization is essential for the ongoing sustainability of the energy sector. Oil production will continue to decline as renewable energy becomes increasingly popular.
Natural Gas prices are also likely to rise. It is predicted that they may even rise up to 25% in 2021.
Retail: The Internet Continues Its Take Over
Online shopping will likely persist as a significant retail player as the pandemic begins to wind down in some places. As such, digital infrastructure is going to remain an important consideration as retail moves forward.
Along with digital considerations, retail is increasingly going to need to consider their voice searchability. More and more internet searches are being conducted through voice – like Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri.
Food: People Love Plant-based
Consumers are increasingly looking for brands with transparency regarding the origins of the food and business practices. Customers are looking for companies that share their values and provide that honesty is increasingly important.
Plant-based foods are also likely to continue to increase in popularity. As environmentalism and wellness gain traction, plant-based diets and choices are going to continue to gain traction as well.
Hospitality & Tourism: Staying Close to Home
Staycations are going to remain popular as the pandemic continues to make travel risky, if possible at all. Attracting local tourists is going to be not only popular but necessary.
The sharing economy has massively impacted the travel industry and will continue to do so as travel slows begins again; sites like AirBnB continue to persist in popularity due to their uniqueness and feeling of authenticity.
Transportation: Seamless Travel Makes Happier Customers
Transit planners are looking to frictionless, integrated travel to increase ridership and improve the customer experience. This means creating transit with minimal stoppage, fewer checkpoints, and ticketless travel among other things.
There is also likely to be greater adoption of cloud-based systems. This can open up new opportunities for scalability and use of digital resources.
Environment: Bio-Tech is Making a Big Impact
Bioremediation is going to be increasingly popular as a means of detoxifying pollutants in our waterways, sediments, and soils. Using microorganisms, environment biologists can help to restore, treat, and reclaim the environment.
There will also continue to be a push for Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR), helping to cultivate hydrocarbon-consuming bacteria that can be used to remove pollutants from soil.
Finance: Digital Skills are Increasingly Important
Digital competency and the ability to adapt to new technologies are increasingly important. The digital transformation of the financial industry means that many industry professionals are facing a skills disconnect. Closing this gap will help to better prepare financial institutions for the future.
There is also likely to be much more movement than there was in the past year. As people gradually move into a post-pandemic world, or prepare to, they are likely to approach their finances with a new perspective.