The latest IrishJobs.ie Job Index indicates recruitment is down but not out as the impact of the coronavirus is felt by employers and workers across Ireland.
In a Covid-19 analysis, the e-recruitment platform tracked job activity in March 2020 and found that job listings had fallen by 37% overall.
Jobs increased rapidly in Nursing, Healthcare and Medical category (+77%). At the same time, vacancies remained steady in the Science, Pharmaceutical & Food (+1%) sector, which bodes well for a crucial Irish internationally traded sector over the coming weeks and months.
The economic shutdown has impacted livelihoods and job security in just a matter of weeks with certain sectors bearing the brunt of the health crisis. With jobs in Hotel & Catering (-66%), Tourism, Travel & Airlines (-63%) and Beauty, Hair Care & Leisure (-66%) all impacted.
The IrishJobs.ie Jobs Index found almost every county has been experienced a decrease in jobs with the country’s cities also feeling the impact of the coronavirus with jobs in Galway (-17%) Dublin (-16%), Cork (-14%) and Limerick (-14%) all falling back.
Resilient recruiters
Orla Moran, General Manager at IrishJob.ie, says recruitment may be down, but it is not out and believes resilient recruiters will rethink their hiring strategies.
“There has been a marked change in the recruitment landscape since the 1st of March. Our Index is a barometer, reflecting this moment in time for the Irish job market. Sectors such as hospitality and tourism, are paused while others, such as medical and healthcare food retail and logistics are experiencing increased demand for staff.
“IrishJobs.ie has over 20 years’ experience in the Irish market. We worked side by side with Irish recruiters through the crash and the recovery, so we know how incredibly resilient Irish businesses are. I believe that employers will transition to a new way of recruiting. Many leading companies had already increased their virtual hiring activities; for example, video interviews are now relatively common in certain industries. Now other businesses will also make the switch. It could also be time for companies to explore areas such as virtual onboarding. These methods will benefit a business, help reduce overall recruitment costs and improve hiring efficiency as well.
“This is a real moment of truth for employer branding and people management. Focusing on retaining critical talent and improving internal communication is essential so all staff feel engaged and connected. A company’s greatest advocates are its employees, so how a business treats its staff during this time matters. Employers should aim to have a positive brand legacy that will power talent acquisition to help recovery post coronavirus.”