London workers are more worried about the impact of the pandemic on their career than on their health. Almost eight in 10 (78%) are quite or very concerned about what the pandemic will mean for their future career opportunities, while just 35% worry about catching the coronavirus and falling ill. That’s according to new research from Tiger Recruitment which surveyed over 1,700 employees in London and cross-referenced the results against data on the interviewed candidates it met with in 2020.

Tiger Recruitment’s data underlines the detrimental effect that the pandemic has had on jobs and careers in the capital. A third of London workers questioned (34%) experienced redundancy in 2020, and 86% of those struggled to secure a new role, rising to 92% of 45 to 54-year-olds.

In the eight-month period from March to October, a quarter of jobseekers (26%) placed by the agency took an average salary cut of 15% to secure a new role. According to Tiger, some jobseekers have also been volunteering or taking up junior roles in retail or hospitality in order to keep working and earning. Older workers (45 to 54-year-olds) are the most likely to be concerned (84%) about the knock-on effects on their career, followed by 16 to 24-year-olds (80%).

However, despite high Covid-19 infection levels in the UK and the threat of long Covid, contracting the virus doesn’t even feature in employees’ list of top five concerns, with 16 to 24 year-olds slightly more nonchalant than other age groups. Those who do fear for their health worry most about not getting paid if they catch the virus (cited by 26%).

Commenting on the research findings, David Morel, CEO of Tiger Recruitment said, “People at the start and in the later stages of their career have been the hardest hit by the pandemic, so it’s understandable that they should be concerned about their career prospects. It’s tough to secure a job in today’s market if you lack experience, and just as tough to gain the experience you need when fewer businesses are hiring. For older workers who may have been forced out of a career they’ve worked in for decades, it can be difficult to bounce back.

“However, the tide is starting to turn. Candidates received an average pay rise of 3% in Q3 and, unlike in the first national lockdown, this time round businesses have continued to hire. The promise of a vaccine, coupled with the US election result, gives hope that this positive trend will continue.”

Research Methodology

Tiger Recruitment surveyed 1,749 employees working in London. The survey was conducted online in September 2020. The results (which can be found here: https://tiger-recruitment.com/employers-and-hiring-practice/tiger-recruitment-salary-and-benefits-review/) were cross-referenced against Tiger Recruitment’s own data on the 2,000 + interviewed candidates it met with during the past year to produce the Tiger Recruitment Salary & Benefits Review 2021.