President Biden recently announced that the federal government would be moving up the date for all adults to be eligible for vaccines by April 19th. As federal and state agencies work to make this rollout possible, the rest of us are beginning to look beyond our WFH screens to see what the rest of this year might have in store. Previous attempts to plan for a post-COVID reality often seemed like wasted effort in the midst of continued lockdowns and case spikes. But with the Administration’s current timeline, many Market Research & Insights teams are starting to inform post-COVID business plans with employee and customer research.
Market Research Topic #1: Vaccine Access & Inequality
One major area of concern has been making sure the most vulnerable populations are receiving the vaccine. In many areas, Black and Brown communities have been hit the hardest. This has caused a need to examine the rollout process to ensure an equitable distribution of doses and education about the safety of the vaccine. What does this mean for researchers?
If you do research with diverse populations, you may be planning to conduct research with them to explore attitudes and perceptions about vaccines, employment issues and other COVID-impacted behaviors. Is your brand perceived as an ally? A resource? A qualitative market research study with the diverse populations your business serves could provide meaningful insights far beyond the “new normal.”
Market Research Topic #2: Future of Work
The pandemic’s WFH phenomenon has obviously had a huge impact on many businesses. Two groups that have been experiencing particularly tectonic changes:
- Employers who shifted workforces to remote working, and that have delayed their return-to-office date multiple times. Will they now revert back? Will WFH be a permanent option for employees? Or will there be a new hybrid model? How do managers and employees feel about these changes? What factors may drive or deter their future behaviors? There are lots of great angles to be explored.
- Businesses that traditionally relied on high foot-traffic, and that have been waiting for the return in-person commerce. Will foot traffic return to pre-COVID levels? How do these businesses, and their customers, foresee their activities changing once vaccines more fully rollout?
Research with business owners, managers and employees is a hot topic now that a post-lockdown business world seems likely by end of 2021. Quantitative market research studies to inform long-term WFH operations and COVID-related commuting and travel strategies will surely be a hot topic.
Market Research Topic #3: “Common Good” vs Medical Privacy
One of the most heated subjects around the pandemic has come from the dividing line between one’s personal health decisions and how those decisions impact the world at large. Airports have been talking about concepts like a “vaccine passport” to validate passengers for safe travel. Even some employers have considered the idea of ensuring their workforce is vaccinated before letting them return. Even for those who want the vaccine, the notion of allowing institutions to have access to one’s personal medical history can be disconcerting. There is tension between doing what’s best for public health and concern that such steps would set a dangerous precedent. Learning about consumer attitudes towards health and healthcare in the aftermath of the pandemic is becoming increasingly important across all industries.
How are You Handling COVID-related Market Research Planning and Execution?
With all of the various pandemic-related perceptions and behaviors worthy of investigation, many of us are researching new and different topics. Many Market Research & Insights professionals are getting into topics like the ones described in this article, in addition to employee research and various health and hygiene topics, for the first time. It can be challenging to plan and execute these studies. We’d like to help. Our Rent-a-Researcher service now has access to qualified market researchers who already have experience executing COVID-related projects. Interested in learning more? Please contact us at [email protected] or (508) 691-6004 ext. 703.
Related Research
- COVID-19: Tracking the Impact on FMCG, Retail and Media (Source: Nielsen)
- Did Happiness Survive the COVID-19 Pandemic? (Source: Gallup.com)
- Public Opinion on the COVID-19 pandemic [11th March] | (Source: Ipsos)
- US Retailers Plan Major Investment Into Distribution Networks To Handle E-Commerce Boom (Source: Researchscape)
