Lockdown V.2

As we begin lockdown V.2, it can feel like we’re living in Groundhog Day and the black clouds are closing in…but we believe it’s important to reflect on the lessons we’ve learnt during 2020, focus on the positives and continue to do everything we can to support our networks and each other. We have pivoted into a virtual world in 2020 and businesses have shown incredible resilience and ingenuity over the last 8 months.

We have moved back into our home offices/kitchens this week and we are ready to tackle this next lockdown with our heads held high and with fire in our bellies. 2020 is not going to beat us!

Despite all the uncertainty we are facing, job flow has continued to increase this week, interviews are being booked, candidates have had their first day in long awaited roles and no jobs have been put on hold. This feels very different to March.

The demand for skills across digital, eCommerce and social are continuing to grow week on week. The freelance market is slowly but surely growing and we have seen the demand for senior interim roles improving (despite the challenges of IR35 looming large).

With Christmas campaigns in full swing and holiday allowances being squeezed in before the end of December, we are anticipating the need for short term support to continue to grow in the coming weeks. We are also finding that the permanent market is picking up pace. Employers are looking for January starters, interview days are being penciled in…and a little bit of the usual November “urgency” is returning.

All a lot more positive than the beginning of lockdown V.1.

However, whilst we may now feel far more prepared for this lockdown (and any future ones), there is no doubt that winter restrictions will have a far greater emotional and mental health impact on us all. Afternoons of topping up our tans in the garden whilst firing out emails and taking calls are replaced with cold houses, dark afternoons …and rain.

We’ll be ensuring that we focus on our wellbeing this month with virtual exercise classes together and ensuring that we regularly check in with each other over Teams. It’s essential that businesses support their staff through the coming weeks and we’ll be sharing as many resources as we can to help everyone. We’re also always available for a virtual coffee and a chat. Talking really does help.

Undoubtedly the coming weeks and months will test us all and we’ll all start to feel the pressure of less interactions but we will get through this and we’re feeling pretty optimistic that 2021 is going to be a good year. No, a great year!

Lockdown V.2….bring it on.