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In late October and early November, CXPA surveyed the CXPA community to check in on the current impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on CX professionals from around the world – a follow-up to a similar survey that was conducted in July.

 We heard from more than 300 respondents. 75% continue to report one or more limitations on activities, including economic impacts, family obligations and company or government restrictions - impacts regardless of geographic regions or CX job roles (CX practitioner, consultant, or product/service provider). Most respondents are still not attending conferences (73%) nor traveling for work (65%).

 The survey does show that respondents perceive the world is moving toward a return to business activities. The majority of respondents are now participating in in-person meetings (55% at least once a quarter, up 11% from July) while just over half are going into the office (52% at least once a quarter, up 11% from July).

When asked for predictions of when pandemic-related restrictions would be eased and activities would return to normal, 14% expect restrictions to be lifted by January 1, 2022, while 52% expect restrictions to be lifted by July 2022. Return to 2019 pre-pandemic activity levels align with those expectations, with half of the respondents (50%) expecting activities to return to that level by July 2022 – though 18% do not expect their activities to return to 2019 levels at all.

When asked whether CXPA should hold a 2022 conference in Orlando in May 2022, 67% of survey respondents recommended that it should be held as an in-person event with appropriate health and safety precautions in place. It is CXPA’s intent to honor that recommendation, though we are equally heeding the written comments that CXPA must monitor further developments related to the pandemic. We are hopeful that information on the impact of the Omicron variant will be known in the coming weeks so that we may announce a final decision before the end of the month.

 As a closing reminder, our thoughts are with those who are or have been impacted by the pandemic, especially those who have lost loved ones and those experiencing unemployment or economic hardship. Thanks to the generosity and support of CXPA sponsors, we continue to offer membership continuation and CCXP renewal assistance. We also encourage all CXPA members to follow health and safety protocols, especially those gathering together through CXPA Networks, for which procedures for a safe return to in-person events have been shared with Network leaders.