Top 10 Occupations That Were Most Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic
COVID-19 has hit everyone really bad, and it would be hard to find anyone who hasn't been affected slightly by what's going on. Everyone has heard of the horrible effects and high death toll of it, and everyone knows how everyone's been shut down to avoid getting the virus, but a slightly overlooked yet just as bad part of the Pandemic is the effects it's had on many workers, companies, and on the economy. Many, many people have been laid off due to not enough business or income for the company, and, in contrast, some jobs have had to work overtime to deal with the virus itself, or have even thrived during the pandemic. So, here are the Top Ten Occupations that were most affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Healthcare workers include anyone working at a healthcare organization, whether a doctor, nurse, or staff member. They were severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but not for the same reasons as most other occupations listed here.
While almost all other jobs ended up working from home or laying off many staff, healthcare workers had to work overtime. They managed an already enormous workload while following COVID-19 protocols, such as wearing masks and staying socially distanced. Additionally, they were the ones directly dealing with COVID-19 itself and helping patients survive.
COVID-19 overwhelmed healthcare capacity and resources, significantly changing the rules healthcare workers have to follow. There were shortages of drugs and life-saving equipment because healthcare workers needed them overtime, and because it was harder to get that equipment due to the pandemic.
Without a doubt, healthcare workers were severely affected by COVID-19, and we must thank them for all they've done during the pandemic.
Service workers include food servers, security guards, and janitors - generally, jobs requiring on-site work and a lot of interaction. Unlike healthcare workers, service workers were impacted differently. Many were not needed or were too hard to pay during the lockdown, with over 34% being laid off, far more than in any other job category.
Additionally, over 43% experienced reduced pay, and over 44% had reduced hours. It's also challenging to find a new job after being laid off during the pandemic, which could severely affect their personal lives.
This category includes anyone working in the entertainment industry, such as set designers and others essential for your favorite plays and movies. It also includes those in related jobs, like interior designers and artists.
Performing for a non-existent audience and filming became very difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic. The production of movies dropped significantly, and the demand for jobs in this category decreased drastically. As a result, 48% experienced reduced pay, 27% faced reduced hours, and 25% were laid off. Thus, about three-quarters of the people working here were either laid off or had their income reduced.
People in this category are involved in building homes and other foundations, including actual construction workers and behind-the-scenes roles like building inspectors. These workers are essential and generally continued working during the pandemic, but many were laid off or faced reduced pay and hours.
Over 18% were laid off, and over 38% experienced reduced pay, meaning over 50% were affected in some way. The worst part for them has been the lack of demand for big, non-residential buildings. Although they still had opportunities to build homes, many big corporations switching to remote work reduced the need for large buildings, resulting in layoffs and reduced pay.
This category includes people in the mining, oil, and gas extraction industry. With fewer people driving and a reduced need for gas, the demand plummeted, leaving the produced gas with nowhere to go. Consequently, many workers were laid off.
Mining requires on-site work, and the pandemic forced these workers to stay home, leading to reduced pay for most. The mining industry depends on stable market conditions and functioning supply chains, and COVID-19 has severely disrupted these, making it difficult for the industry to operate.
Most, if not all, industries have been impacted negatively by COVID-19. However, online course instructors, including those involved in giving online courses for workouts, book clubs, and almost anything you can sign up for over Zoom (excluding school teachers), have done extremely well throughout the pandemic.
With everyone working from home and in dire need of activities to keep them occupied, online courses have become very popular. Online workouts have been a popular alternative for people who don't go to the gym anymore, and many clubs that were usually in-person have adapted to online formats due to the pandemic. It's extraordinary how well this job has done throughout the pandemic.
Personal service workers help with tasks like dry-cleaning, laundry, home repairs, and babysitting. With everyone working from home, the need for these services dropped significantly. Hundreds of thousands of people in this occupation were laid off in 2020 alone.
Unfortunately, it's unlikely that demand for these workers will return after COVID-19, as people have realized they can do these tasks themselves. This occupation may never fully recover.
Manufacturing workers help produce food, clothing, or other goods, usually in factories or similar workspaces. Farming is not included in this category. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted manufacturing workers because their jobs typically require employees to work side-by-side, which is impossible while practicing social distancing.
This occupation was completely changed, and many employees were laid off. The clothing industry was particularly affected, as the need for new, stylish clothes dropped with people staying home, causing many to leave the industry.
One of the most trending and surprisingly thriving jobs throughout the COVID-19 pandemic is developers. With COVID-19 keeping everyone indoors for the most part, people have been going online more than ever. As a result, the demand for developers - those who work to keep all the digital platforms and apps running smoothly - has increased dramatically.
While almost all occupations have been negatively affected by this virus and the resulting pandemic, a few jobs have actually done very well. Developers have improved so drastically they had to be ranked high on this list.
Transportation workers, including pilots and taxi drivers, were greatly impacted by COVID-19 because people were not traveling during the pandemic. When was the last time you went on a plane? Probably not since early 2020 at the very least!
Due to the extreme reduction in demand for transportation workers, 50% experienced reduced pay, 46% had reduced hours, and 17% were laid off. If conditions don't improve soon, these already significant numbers of reduced pay and hours will grow, and many more will be laid off.
I didn't add this item, but it actually makes sense.
Initially, things looked promising for fast food businesses, but the rising unemployment rate of 9.3% soon became concerning. The lingering effects are evident in local businesses, with restaurants struggling to find enough staff.
Customers often wait an hour for a table, making it difficult to keep them happy, especially on weekends. To stay open, immediate hires are desperately needed. Most fast food places have cut their hours and stopped serving breakfast. One possible solution is to cut off stimulus benefits, as the current situation hurts the economy in other ways. It's hard to support your favorite place to eat if they're struggling to stay open.