What 2020 Has Taught Multifamily Leasing Professionals About the Power of Human Connection

As 2019 came to a close, the world felt tired, overworked, and even “peopled out”. The overall sentiment in those early days of 2020 boiled down to a two-word phrase: burn out. Gallup’s research results showed that around 45% of Millennials experienced “sometimes” burnout. 45% is a massive number. 2020 was expected to be more of the same – some predictions even seeing that number climb.
And then the COVID-19 pandemic slowly began to emerge in China, making its way to the United States in early March 2020. The pandemic caught us off guard and threw the entire world into upheaval. When was the last time the entire world faced an event of this magnitude?
If we had told our 2019 selves that shaking hands would be banned, the Olympics would be postponed, parents would become teachers, and news segments would be held via Skype from broadcasters’ dining room tables, we wouldn’t believe it.
And while 2020 has rocked us, it has also been a gift in that it has taught us many important lessons. It’s forever changed the way we conduct business. And, most importantly, it’s taught us that we weren’t actually “peopled out” – but rather, we’ve been craving meaningful human connections more than ever before. Don’t miss the keyword: meaningful. Trust. Authenticity. Transparency. Rawness.
Let’s take a look at a few of the lessons we have seen firsthand through our innovative multifamily, hotel, and corporate housing real estate industries:
COVID-19 as a Forcing Function For Innovation
As the pandemic slowly forced businesses around the world to close their brick and mortar d……