The COVID-19 pandemic has led to many changes, not only to businesses, but to individuals who have found themselves out of work or on the government-backed furlough scheme. One of the biggest factors for change has been both the increase and lack of demand for certain sectors.
As lockdown restrictions slowly start to lift, some sectors appear to be in a stronger position than others. The latest jobs market report from CV-Library suggests that the number of UK job vacancies dropped by 62.7% in the second quarter of 2020. For jobs still advertised, the application number undoubtably increase with the application-to-job ration rising by 84%.
It is indicated that there are a greater number of opportunities for some sectors over others. Below are some of the sectors who are increasing their hiring efforts:
Warehouse workers and delivery drivers
With an increase in online shopping and a change in buyer behaviour, there has been a surge in demand for online retailers who have had to manage changes to stock and delivery services. When the high street shut down at the beginning of the lockdown, most people took to online sites to order products. This extended from non-essential items to supermarket shopping. As a result of this increasing demand for online orders, delivery and courier businesses began to hire more people within warehouse and delivery roles. According to a recent news article by ITV News, courier company Hermes is creating 10,500 new jobs to manage this demand.
Supermarkets
The supermarket sector is one of the few sectors which has experienced an increase in demand throughout the entirety of lockdown. From the challenges with stockpiling at the beginning of lockdown and the demand for products throughout, supermarkets have maintained high levels of demand. The continued fear of many to venture out to supermarkets caused many to take to online grocery shopping, which again led to a surge in demand for delivery drivers. It is this that has required businesses within this sector to hire for jobs.
Lorry drivers
The surge in job opportunities within the supermarket sector has also meant an increase in lorry drivers. Not only this but the increase in demand for other shopping services as well as industry requirements such as manufacturing and printing has meant that more jobs have become available within the logistics sector. At Skipton Business Finance, we work with a number of businesses that have been affected by this change in shopping behaviour. Businesses in the logistics sector who work with UK supermarkets saw a huge increase in turnaround and therefore a demand for new staff.
IT and digital technology
Digital skills are becoming one of the most desirable for businesses that are hiring. In the current climate, digital jobs are becoming more common, particularly those such web developers, online security specialists and software engineers. The business climate is already heading towards a digital era and it is argued that the pandemic has moved this closer, with many businesses forced to adapt to the new technologies and the lack of face to face communication.
This increase in job opportunities is promising news for those who may have been struggling to find work over the past four months. Though COVID-19 has been a challenging time for all businesses, it is promising to see that it has made some sectors stronger and that there are now more opportunities for employment in these given industries.
At Skipton Business Finance, we are proud to have been working with business involved with these sectors. We know that many individuals and businesses have experienced challenges throughout the lockdown period, and we are proud to have been able to continue supporting businesses through this period.
Find out more about the services we offer to businesses here.