Russell Bedford International Poll Reveals Video Call Habits And Much More…

June 2020

Russell Bedford Happy Hour reveals 34% expect to take an international flight before end of the year… 40% expect a recovery in their domestic economy within 6-12 months… and 39% only worry about dressing their top half for a video meeting!

On Friday, 12 June, Russell Bedford held its second virtual Happy Hour. 70 participants from Russell Bedford firms across all four regions of Europe, Middle East & Africa, North America, Latin America and Asia Pacific, joined once more for a virtual Happy Hour, to connect and share experiences.

The interactive session is designed to encourage dialogue between members, so that they can support each other, while providing an opportunity to share concerns and sentiments about their current circumstances.

Happy Hour is also very much intended to be light-hearted in nature; offering time away from demanding roles and the chance to step back from the many pressures they currently face, while in the company of those who understand those same pressures.

At this Happy Hour, Russell Bedford launched a series of polls to gauge how colleagues around the world were feeling, encouraging them to divulge some of their lockdown secrets; and the results were revealing!

The "people element” of our profession was highlighted, with 45% saying they missed their colleagues more than anything else from their office (with only 10% missing the company coffee machine!) The importance of international travel was also exposed; with 69% expecting to board an international flight by the middle of 2021, and 25% saying by being locked down they missed international travel more than anything else (beating partying with friends by 3%).

Some of the more intriguing results included a staggering 39% admitting to only dressing their top half for a video call, and 32% happily working in their PJs all day.

Speaking about the event and results, Russell Bedford CEO, Stephen Hamlet, said: "The response we’ve had from our members on the various additional initiatives we’ve been developing for their benefit, has been nothing but positive. Our members, now more than at any other time, are truly seeking the connections they have always valued from their network membership; it’s our duty to ensure they continue to feel that connection, supporting both individuals and member firms.”

He added: "The survey was a great idea, to capture the sentiment around the world; revealing some interesting results, yet several other expected ones. International travel and being amongst people is so important to our members; and they surely miss our global meetings and events. Of course, we would love to confirm our next physical meeting, but this is still uncertain. In the meantime, however, we must adapt, diversify and encourage connection in new ways. One of the most pleasant surprises during this crisis is how we have significantly extended our reach within individual member firms. More and more individuals are learning about the network through new online activity, initiatives and resources made available to them as members. On a personal level, it’s been heart-warming and inspiring to experience the genuine care and consideration between our members – it’s what makes us truly special.”