The world has experienced it all as a result of the coronavirus. The closure of businesses came with massive job losses. While the rate of unemployment is still high, various businesses have been unaffected, with their operations experiencing a boom. These businesses, which can be termed as essential, have resulted in hiring via online platforms.
Other businesses that have been affected by the pandemic such as the hospitality industry and the aviation industry are looking for means to survive the pandemic. To coup more users, most are offering amazing discounts.
To help people relax with a choice of holidays, Away Resorts is offering a 10% discount that will slash the cost of holidays, irrespective of whether you are part of the Armed force or not. With six locations to choose from including Essex, Lincolnshire, Isle of Wing, Hampshire, Hayling Island and North Wales, users are assured of the best facilities in any holiday park.
Care homes
To help deal with the additional strains on the healthcare system as a result of COVID-19, the care sector has been hiring, with the government’s social care website listing some openings. For instance, the home care company Cera has created over 10,000 jobs to support the elderly in isolation and provide immediate relief to the National Health Service.
The NHS has also been recruiting more staff with listings for medical specialists as well as around 300 jobs for drivers across the country.
However, due to certain Brexit issues, employers in the care sector, bricklayers, butchers and stonemasons will no longer be able to employ EU citizens for many lower-skilled jobs. This is because the post-Brexit immigration system prevents overseas recruitment in roles that will require less than A-levels or its equivalent. These rules will take effect effective December 31.
While employers currently employing non-EU nationals will find the regime easier to navigate, businesses that rely on recruiting EU nationals will have significant challenges.
Supermarkets
During the pandemic, supermarkets have employed more than 50,000 workers in both permanent and temporary jobs. With the closure of pubs and restaurants, many people have been left with no choice but to eat at home, as opposed to the frequent take-outs, leading to an increased demand for groceries and other essentials.
The increase in food retail jobs has been observed in instore jobs such as replenishing the shelves, online order processing and food deliveries.
Morrison’s, the fourth largest chain of supermarkets in the UK hired more than 3,500 workers at the onset of the pandemic to meet the growing demand for home deliveries. Tesco has also been reported to hiring 20,000 workers as well as Aldi, which hired 9,000 new staff.
Delivery drivers and warehouse pickers
The coronavirus has expedited the growth of online shopping. With lockdowns and restrictions put in place, the majority of people prefer online shopping and home deliveries. The pandemic hence caused a gap between businesses and service provision, which was filled by delivery drivers and warehouse pickers.
Online businesses offering essential services have been busy since the onset of the pandemic. There has also been an increase in online businesses offering recipe boxes, wine deliveries, multivitamin deliveries, takeaways deliveries, beer deliveries and a myriad of other products. In the recent past, Newbie Deals has seen a 20% increase in listings especially due to new customer discounts from start-ups and top brands, with meal boxes being among its most popular services.
Amazon, for instance, has created 15,000 jobs across the UK. These include full time and part-time delivery and warehouse jobs. The new workforce ensures online orders are sorted and dispatched faster. To ensure they have a source of income, people who were in other occupations that were affected by the pandemic have had no choice but to take up these jobs.
Hermes, a delivery company has also created 15,000 jobs during the crisis as it looks to hire 9,000 freelance couriers and 1,500 full-time workers. In its $100m expansion strategy, the company follows John Lewis, Primark and Rightmove in shunning the government’s retention scheme which aims to pay firms for every worker they retain past January 2020.
Large goods vehicles drivers are also in demand to deliver to individual supermarkets, with persons who can also build and repair vehicles being highly sought out by employers.
