Google just announced that they’re staying away from offices until September 2021… and that most employees will continue to work remotely part time even after. New York City schools decided to hold classes online instead of having a snow day. And businesses all around the world are adapting. They all realize there’s no going back. There’s no "normal" that we’re ever going to return to. Instead, the best way out of the pandemic for business is to look forward.

The latest Thinks Out Loud looks at why we’re never going back, why going back is impossible — and how you can go forward to greater success in the future.

Want to learn more? Here are the show notes for you.

Thinks Out Loud Episode 312: There’s No Going Back. You Can Only Go Forward Headlines and Show Notes

Free Downloads

We have a couple of free downloads for you to help you navigate the current situation, which you can find right here:

* A Brief Introduction to Thinks Out Loud. As a bonus, we’ve also included this PDF document that highlights some of our core episodes to help you dig into what the show is about. We think it will help you capture the show’s essence while you’re working your way through the 300-plus episodes published so far. Download it here.

* Digital & E-commerce Maturity Matrix. As a bonus, here’s a PDF that can help you assess your company’s digital maturity. You can use this to better understand where your company excels and where its opportunities lie. And, of course, we’re here to help if you need it. The Digital & E-commerce Maturity Matrix rates your company’s effectiveness — Ad Hoc, Aware, Striving, Driving — in 6 key areas in digital today, including:

* Customer Focus

* Strategy

* Technology

* Operations

* Culture

* Data

Show Notes and Links

As always, here are the "regular" show notes, detailing links and news related to this week’s episode.

* Google will trial "flexible workweek" with "collaboration days" – 9to5Google

* 4 Big Trends Shaping Your Business Next Year (Thinks Out Loud Episode 310)

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