Three post-pandemic predictions for the world of work What are the most consequential, lasting impacts on business and leadership after a year of crises? Photograph by naibank I was reading an article recently about loosening travel restrictions, and halfway through, I came across a quote that powerfully captured what I think many people are feeling these days: “We can see a future, which is awesome.” After all, when the pandemic enveloped the world last spring, that ability to hope and plan for the future was shut down in our collective consciousness. Related stories by Laura W. Geller Yes, the daily headlines still bring troubling news about stubbornly high rates of COVID-19 cases, mounting death tolls, and slow vaccination rollouts in some countries. And the issues of social justice that have dominated the headlines persist. But companies also are starting to bring employees back to the office, people are beginning to think about real vacations again, and gloomy predictions of economic collapse are giving way to unbridled optimism about growth. First-quarter 2021 figures in the U.S. showed a 10 percent bounce-back from the same period last year.