How is the Tech Industry being affected by Covid?

Well it’s been a tough few months for most of us to say the least but with things finally getting back to some form of normality, there are some positive signs ahead. The Tech workplace is definitely changing and personally I see this as a silver lining to the Covid pandemic.

According to the BBC the number of UK employees on payroll has decreased by 730,000 from March to July however it’s not all bad news, as some sectors seem to have been less affected. Tech, Healthcare, Logistics and Pharmaceuticals are all still creating jobs which is good news for anyone already working in these areas or anyone looking to get into one of these sectors. 

Tech and Remote working

As Tech becomes vital for companies post-Covid, it’s expected there will continue to be a rise in jobs in this space. According to this BBC article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53438262 there has been a 15.5% increase in demand for Web designers and developers compared to June.

One of the reasons Tech has felt less of an impact is due to remote working.  

If you have been lucky enough to avoid furlough and have continued to work through the pandemic then most people will have been working from home. I know that’s not always been easy with many having to juggle work with screaming kids and taking on the new job of becoming a teacher (pulling your hair out no doubt!) You may have had the difficult task of trying to create a home office in an apartment. Having to fit everything on to your tiny kitchen table or resorting to a laptop on your knee all day (my back hurts just thinking of this scenario).

Remote working – benefits

There have been alot of positives to come out of having to work from home though. As a result, I think this is going to change the way employers look at this moving forward. Productivity levels for the most part have stayed the same (or increased) and this is making companies think, do we really need to pay extortionate office rent?

Remote working or working from home benefits everyone all round. For employers they can cut down on office space and costs. Employees get valuable time back that would usually be spent on a commute (and for many a long and horrendous one). This time can be spent on more important things. A big one to me is some well needed extra shut eye and this again would benefit the employer – the more sleep we get as employees the more productive we are – everyone’s a winner!

Now I’m not saying every office-based job is going to turn into full time remote working. Nothing can take the place of a good old meeting over the water cooler, right? I think those not offering remote working currently need to take a look and see if this is a change they could make. By making these changes it could really open up the pool of candidates they attract and retain. I also think this would encourage more women to apply for roles as they re-enter the workforce after having a family.

Which nicely leads me on to my next blog…….. Why are there so few women in tech?