Throwforward Thursday 85: Giving Lonely People The Choice to Chat

In 2021, a Dutch supermarket chain, Jumbo, created a special checkout line - it was designed to be slower and give people the opportunity to chat to each other and the cashier. It has received rave reviews, and Jumbo is now rolling it out to all their stores. Part of the reason for this is that many people are lonely. So much so that the UK government a few years ago created a "Minister for Loneliness". Japan has something similar. More people live alone than ever before - although being alone and being lonely are two different things, of course. It's possible to be lonely in a crowd. Which is why society and companies need to think of ways to engage with people who feel lonely and need some connection. Companies should provide options: (1) automate my engagement with you - I don't want to connect; (2) give me a minimal human touch, or (3) I choose to chat. How would this apply to your industry? Would it be something your customers would pay a premium for? Or could it just be a wonderful societal contribution you could make?

ABOUT GRAEME CODRINGTON

Speaker, author and expert on the future of work, researching disruptive change and helping leaders and their teams understand and respond to tomorrow's world today. I help people make the future place of work a remarkable place for all of us.

CONNECT WITH GRAEME AND THE TOMORROWTODAY TEAM

Let's start a conversation to find out where I can make the biggest impact in your journey to being future-fit. Email me [email protected] or connect on LinkedIn.

KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSHOPS

https://www.graemecodrington.com

ACCESS 2 FREE SCENARIOS 

Our Strategic Imagination Toolkit designed to help you develop your strategic imagination in order to consider the implications for your team and organisation today. Download here for free

SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL

www.youtube.com/user/graemecodrington

NEWSLETTER

Subscribe to our team's weekly newsletter filled with insights and practical resources to help you succeed in the future of work. Sign up here.