wealth and wellbeing hub
Millions want to stick with lockdown lifestyle changes
The Covid-19 pandemic has been incredibly difficult for everyone
And despite the challenges, many people now have the desire to keep in place some of the changes they were forced to adapt.
- Research from our Wealth and Wellbeing Research Programme* has revealed many want to keep some of the changes that they were forced to adopt.
- 79% (18m) of those that worked from home during the pandemic want to continue doing so.
- Our research also revealed changes in people’s attitudes to their lifestyle.
The restrictions introduced during the pandemic were forced on the nation and it was assumed that once they ended, people would quickly return to their pre-lockdown lifestyles.
However, the pandemic has caused millions of people to re-evaluate their priorities, and now our research has revealed many want to keep some of the changes that they were forced to adopt.
Working from home, for example, was something that before the pandemic was done perhaps once or twice a week, if at all. But 79% (18m) of those that worked from home during the pandemic want to continue doing so, as they have discovered a better work/life balance and find themselves reluctant to return to their commuting lifestyle.
The pandemic, lockdown and accompanying upheaval in our lives have made people appreciate the importance of close bonds of family and friendships and many want the changes introduced during lockdown to continue to give them more time to spend with the people that are important to them.
Our research also revealed the following changes in people’s attitudes to their lifestyle, compared to before the pandemic
- 41% (21m) of those with a family say they have become more focused on their family
- 45% (23m) are more focused on their health
- 38% (15m) of workers have become more focused on work-life balance
- 32% (16m) have become more focused on hobbies and interests
A significant proportion of people are also keen to stick to the activities that naturally increased, or were forced upon them during the pandemic, such as online shopping, remote parents’ evenings, and remote GP appointments.
Starting with the most popular thing people want to continue doing, here is a list of seven activities people want to keep doing:
- 91% (32m) of those that exercised more during the pandemic want to continue this
- 79% (18m) of those that worked from home during the pandemic want to continue working from home
- 76% (23m) of those who did online grocery shopping want to continue
- 68% (9m) of those that were able to do the school run more during the pandemic want to continue doing it
- 65% (12m) who received remote financial advice want to continue doing so
- 58% (10m) of parents that joined remote parents’ evenings (conducted by zoom or phone) want to continue them in that way
- 44% (17m) of those that attended remote GP appointments want to continue seeing their doctors in that manner
9million have changed job or career since the start of the pandemic
The lifestyle changes brought on by lockdown that seem to be here to stay, also seem to be impacting how people wish to lead their working lives. Our research discovered people wanted more job-satisfaction and enjoyment from a new role and one in five took a pay cut to achieve this.
Our research also showed that 9m people have changed jobs or careers since the start of the pandemic. The reasons that were given for changing jobs were:
- 27% wanted a higher income
- 22% wanted a job they enjoyed more
- 16% wanted to work from home more
- 15% had a desire for more flexible hours
- 14% wanted a shorter commute
These also clearly show that for many, the changes forced by the pandemic, were an opportunity to re-evaluate what matters to them, and make permanent changes to their lifestyles.
*The LV= Wealth and Wellbeing Research Programme is a quarterly survey of 4,000 people to understand UK consumers and their attitudes to their personal finances and wellbeing. The statistics shown here are as a result of the survey we conducted in March 2022.
