During this period of the national lockdown, the country has faced many challenges. However, the overriding dilemma is sadly, unemployment. A combination of a drop-off in migrant workers from Eastern Europe together with local workers being sick or self-isolating means a gap will appear.
One of the most significant sectors impacted by the virus is the grocery and supermarket sector. As I’m sure, you have noticed as I have, that supermarkets have been extremely busy with very little to no available slots for weeks. This is due to a massive fall in available staff, due to the temporarily displaced workforce moving to a new sector. However, considering the 9 million furloughed workers, there have been record numbers of people applying for fruit and vegetable grower jobs around the country. ‘Totaljobs says it has seen 50,000 searches for farming jobs in the past week alone’.
This increase is due to the sizable surplus in labour, thanks to millions being furloughed, rising unemployment and students also available for work. A modern-day ‘land army’ has been introduced calling for recruitment to help deliver millions of tonnes of fruit and vegetables to supermarkets and those in need as not to let them go to waste. The 70,000 workers needed to replaced seasonal migrants, has been filled comfortably and there are much more waiting. This sudden change in the market has caused a considerable amount of unrest and uncertainty for managers and CEO, making it hard for them to plan and prepare for the future while to present is so fluid. Thus putting stress in the governing bodies of these organisations.
This come together attitude the country’s work fore has shown a clear indicator of the countries resilience and positive attitude, not to let this virus destroy the country. And with the recent news of the Prime Minister being taken into intensive care, the country does need to pull together as a unit to fight and contain this virus.
JBLOGS 