Recruitment: What to expect during the Covid-19 crisis

The current outbreak of COVID-19 is changing the way recruitment agencies and jobseekers work together, and many of these changes may turn out to be permanent.  You may have noticed that the number of vacancies has reduced while companies work out how to adapt or what the future may look like. However, we do expect to see jobs to help with logistics or support key sectors in the coming weeks and months.

Some sectors are especially vulnerable and hiring is unlikely for the next few months at least.  Travel and Tourism have seen huge reductions in bookings and even those with reservations have no idea if or when they can travel, hotels are empty or closed and restaurants and bars unable to open for customers.  Many airlines in the UK are offering unpaid leave to the staff they have, so are unlikely to recruit for a long time.  Not all companies will survive; shortly after the collapse of Flybe, the IATA warned that aviation worldwide will lose around $113 billion as a result of COVID-19.

Other sectors will gain, at least in the short term.  People qualified in areas such as medicine, food preparation, logistics and hygiene are all in extra demand. As lockdown continues, many ex-military staff will find they have the skills to work in many key sectors, so please keep an eye on our website for opportunities, even if it seems quiet elsewhere. The crisis has also drawn attention to the value of these jobs generally.

We will see an increase in online recruitment and working, and this is likely to continue.  Video conferencing such as Zoom and Skype can be used for interviews so it is worthwhile making sure you can access and use these platforms. Virtual assessment of candidates may have some drawbacks related to fairness and inclusivity, but allows recruiting to continue and can be regularly assessed and improved.

Remote working is keeping many businesses afloat and we can expect this to become the new normal for a lot of desk-based workers, even once the pandemic has passed.

This situation will bring many changes, but please be reassured that we are still working and you can get in touch in the usual ways, though no office visitors please!