what jobs are growing and which are shrinking in 2021?

The early stages of the pandemic saw customer service support lines ringing off the hook as customers sought to cancel plans, obtain refunds or get answers. Though many of these inquiries have died down as we settle into the ‘new normal’, phone and online customer support channels remain popular with customers looking for alternatives to in-person customer service. Customers have questions, need assistance cancelling or suspending their services, placing orders, or otherwise accessing support. Call centre staff can also work remotely, allowing for physical distancing. This makes them an attractive alternative for organizations responding to a surge in customer requests.

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With the spike in ecommerce activity during the pandemic, the demand for delivery drivers has shot through the roof. Last-mile delivery, in particular, has been difficult for retailers to keep up with. Last mile delivery drivers are responsible for the final part of the delivery and getting the order into the customer’s hands. Long haul truck drivers are also in demand. Truck drivers are the primary way that stores receive deliveries. During normal operations, a store may receive 1 to 2 main deliveries per week; that’s ramped up significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, with some heavily trafficked stores receiving multiple deliveries daily, as they scramble to keep up with demand. Anyone who has a commercial driver’s license is in demand right now, as supply chains across the country struggle to keep up goods moving.

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It’s no secret that essential retail stores are experiencing a surge in sales right now. Anyone who has been to a grocery store recently is familiar with the long lines. Though supply chains have stabilized as the pandemic has worn on, grocery stores, pharmacies, drug stores, bulk stores, discount stores and other essential retailers are still working around the clock to secure inventory and ensure their employees and shoppers stay safe. Retail clerks and cashiers are on the front lines, ensuring shoppers are able to get the groceries and other essentials they need. Stores are taking every precaution to protect their workers, installing plexiglass barriers, providing critical protective equipment such as masks and gloves, and encouraging touchless payment methods such as debit or credit cards. The pandemic shows no signs of abating in 2021, so essential retail clerks will continue to be in demand.

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With COVID-19 keeping everyone at home, we’re using online channels for most of our everyday tasks including communicating, making purchases, and working, among many others. With all the sensitive information being shared, data security has become a pressing concern for consumers and companies alike. Consumers want to know their data is protected. Companies want to mitigate the legal and reputational risks associated with a data breach. Companies with huge swaths of their workforce working from home must also consider their internal data security practices. Though concerns about data security have been brewing for a while, the pandemic has ramped up the urgency for companies to evaluate and improve their data security practices and online channels become more integrated into Canadians’ lives. Employers are seeking experienced security professionals who can assess their current infrastructure to find gaps and build an actionable plan to enhance security in 2021 and beyond.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in work for departments such as legal, health and safety, operations, marketing, customer service, HR and accounting. With these departments busier than usual during the crisis, administrative professionals step in to provide relief and take the weight off by providing support for clerical tasks ranging from typing, formatting or filing documents, to answering or redirecting phone calls, to basic accounting and bookkeeping. With many teams working remotely, this support and organization is much needed. One field where administrative professionals are in especially high demand is the healthcare sector, where they take care of updating patient records, scheduling appointments and corresponding with patients.

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During the pandemic, the essential retail sector is thriving, with consumable goods making up the bulk of household purchases. That shows no signs of slowing down in 2021. With high customer demand, supply chains are under immense pressure to keep their shelves stocked. Procurement and supply chain specialists work in stores or warehouses and keep track of existing stock, scaling purchasing up or down in response to customer demand. Experienced procurement specialists who have experience managing a supply chain and building relationships with distributors are critical to keep essential goods flowing.

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In the past years companies have rapidly embraced remote work, recognizing the benefits for productivity, health and safety and work-life balance. This seismic shift requires a huge amount of coordination and support from internal IT staff. From ensuring workers have the right hardware to work remotely (such as laptops, monitors, phones, etc.), to setting up remote access to enterprise software, VPNs, home networking, and video conferencing, to supporting workers who experience errors and need assistance, maintaining a remote workforce is not a simple undertaking. Help desk teams ensure that their colleagues are able to maintain their business activities and stay productive while working remotely.

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Essential goods continue to fly off shelves in 2021. Ecommerce sales and delivery services are more in demand than ever. These two facts are very good news for the warehouse sector. Commercial distribution centres and direct-to-consumer warehouses are working around the clock to ensure that inventory is moving and reaching stores and customers. Customer behaviour is also undergoing a shift in 2021, due to the pandemic. People who used to purchase their groceries or other supplies in person are ordering online and using delivery services. Warehouse workers are needed to process these orders. Pickers and packers are in especially high demand, though many warehouse positions are available.

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Public health officials have released detailed health and safety guidelines for businesses to follow to keep their employees and customers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the core recommendations is to increase cleaning and sanitization frequency. In essential workplaces that can’t be closed during the pandemic, frequent cleaning reduces the risk of transmitting COVID-19. Grocery stores, warehouses, manufacturing facilities and other essential workplaces are hiring additional cleaning staff to follow government recommendations and keep their workers and customers safe.

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With the influx of COVID-19 patients at hospitals, clinics, long-term care homes and other healthcare facilities continuing into 2021, the shortage of nurses is more acute than ever. There was a shortage of registered nurses before the pandemic began and that trend has accelerated. Many COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals require long-term intensive care spanning weeks or even months in severe cases. Nurses manage the day-to-day care of these patients. Most nurses aren’t looking to change jobs in the middle of the health crisis, so facilities that experience nursing shortages are finding it extremely difficult to hire nurses.

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Jobs in the food service sector top our list of hardest hit jobs during the pandemic. This includes roles such as chefs and line cooks, servers, hosts, bartenders and others involved in food preparation and service. With indoor dining rooms and bars still closed or severely restricted in many provinces, it should come as no surprise that the food service sector is struggling to stay afloat. Though many restaurants and bars have pivoted to delivery and takeout to keep their staff on payroll, the profit margins are typically smaller for delivery.

The travel industry has been decimated by the pandemic. That’s affected the hospitality sector downstream. Hotels and other accommodation venues are finding their bookings are sparse. That’s impacted the jobs available for hotel managers, receptionists and others who work in hospitality. Though leisure travel is significantly down, the lack of business travel is what’s really hurting the sector. Business clients make up a large portion of their revenue. Many businesses don’t feel comfortable asking employees to travel during the pandemic, and with the mass shift to remote work, they’re finding they can be just as productive without requiring their employees to travel.

The travel sector felt the impact of the pandemic almost immediately. One of the earliest problem areas for COVID-19 were cruise ships. International travel has also been a key way the disease continues to spread. When the pandemic accelerated in March 2020, governments around the world were quick to respond, shutting down their borders and severely limiting the movement of people. Virtually overnight, both leisure and business travel ground to a halt. Many governments, including Canada’s, continue to maintain widespread travel advisories and warn Canadians not to travel unless it’s essential. As a result all jobs related to travel, such as travel agents and tour guides have been hit hard.

Large gatherings remain restricted in many parts of the country. That’s impacted venues ranging from massive sports stadiums which host national sports teams, down to local community centres that host weddings, corporate parties and other events. Some sports teams have attempted to create COVID-19 bubbles with varying levels of success. However for the most part, recreation venues have been shut down completely. That’s left the support staff at these venues out of work. Roles in ticket collection, event planning, venue operations, cleaning, concessions and maintenance are some of the many roles impacted.

When the travel and tourism sector ground to a halt, it brought the airline sector with it. With many international borders closed and virus transmission remaining a real threat to travellers until a vaccine is widely available, Canadians are unwilling to fly. Airlines saw their bookings take a precipitous drop in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic. Though there has been some minor recovery in the sector for intrepid travellers looking to take advantage of cheap flights, the business travel sector remains decimated as companies play it safe and have their employees take advantage of remote collaboration tools. Airlines rely on business travellers for the vast majority of their revenue. Until they return to the skies, jobs for flight attendants, airport check-in agents, baggage handlers, airport security and a variety of other air travel adjacent roles will be limited.