2020 has been a year to forget. From the early months when COVID-19 ran rampant across nations to the full lockdowns imposed by the virus, the world has been given a greater wake-up call this year than ever. As the global economy teeters on the verge of meltdown and experts predict the largest economic contraction since the Great Depression, the effects of the virus are likely to remain long in the memory. It seems very possible that we may well come to look back on Coronavirus as a defining moment in history—one that may wellhave changed society permanently.

Here are just a few ways in which many experts believe Coronavirus has come to change the world forever.

Pointless jobs

Through the virus, companies were forced to take a closer look at their expenditure to find ways to reduce costs. As a result, many previouslysecure jobs have been exposed to be superfluous to requirements—the so-called pointless jobs andvocations that will never return again.

Employment, remote-working, and start-ups

Lockdowns and distancing forced new attitudes to the workplace, with many employers having to adopt remoteworking as a way to stay in business and allow their staff to continue to do their jobs. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has also caused mass redundancies amongst those companies that were slow to adapt, and it’s highly likely we’ll see many now-redundant employees start up their own ventures in a post-COVID world.

Cleanliness and hygiene

Habits are hard to break and the awareness of hygiene, cleanliness, and distancing that has been ingrained in populations is unlikely to simply disappear after the virus as passed. As we adopted new habits such as elbow-coughing and avoiding close personal contact, our mindset has changed and hygiene has become a huge consideration. As an aside, this same increased awareness of cleanliness could offer start-up opportunities in the cleaning industry. Even with the prospects of a return to relative normality offered by COVID-19 vaccines, the need for cleanliness will prevail. If you’re looking for a new career, starting a cleaning business may well offer employment security. There are now multiple online resources to help you find the right janitorial franchise for your business idea that could see you starting down an entirely new career path of stability.

Frugality and fiscal responsibility

Even those workers who have been lucky enough to hold onto their jobs have been given a considerable shock to the system through COVID-19. Our reliance on the state has never been higher, with many now relying on furlough payments to see them through until the return to better days. Through frugality, we have all come to recognize the need to have savings behind us (“rainy day money” for the harder times).

Increased reliance on technology

It seems hard to imagine how we would have made it through lockdown without technology. Computers and, in particular the internet, stepped up through the darker days of Coronavirus, allowing us to stay in touch over video platforms such asZoom. Technology also allowed many of us to continue to work. It seems very unlikely these new habits will simply fade once the virus is gone, and our reliance on technology will persevere.

There are multiple ways in which the post-COVID world will differ from the one we enjoyed previously. Inadvertently, we have all changed as a result of the virus, and it seems highly possible many of those changes will endure long after the immediate dangers posed by the virus have disappeared.