Worsening COVID-19 Situation Upends the Holiday Job Market

• Author: William Asher
• Posted: 2024-05-07

This year's seasonal job market will look a lot different than those of other years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are several reasons, including government dysfunction with passing another economic relief package, the 2020 general election, continued high unemployment and a massive shift to online holiday shopping. Read on to learn how all of these issues are leading to a lot of uncertainty in the holiday job market.

Changes in Big Holiday Shopping Days

In the past, most people held off on their holiday shopping until Black Friday. The anticipation would build as retailers released sneak peeks of their ads. People would start camping out by store entrances several days in advance in order to get that one cheap flat-screen television or gaming console. This year won't be like that. Retailers are starting their sales earlier. There might not be as many hot-ticket items for Black Friday at brick-and-mortar locations due to ongoing supply chain and logistics issues. Amazon even announced that its Prime Day deals will be held over two days in mid-October, which is much earlier than they have been offered in past years. Instead of a big Black Friday deal extravaganza, holiday shoppers should expect a few sale items every week for the next two months leading up to Christmas. Most deals will be online, and the online deals are likely to be better than the brick-and-mortar retail sales offers.

Store Staffing Levels Will Change

Brick-and-mortar retailers have seen a drop in foot traffic. As a result, they're not hiring as many seasonal workers for their in-person shopping options. In the past, big retailers would have most checkout lanes open on popular shopping days. Customer service desk and returns associates would also be fully staffed. That's unlikely to be the case this year. Customers who do shop in person may find that lines are longer and there are fewer store associates to help them locate items on the racks and shelves.

Crowds Will Be Smaller

With fewer deals at brick-and-mortar stores, the crowds will be smaller. People won't have a reason to camp out for days. Retailers are discouraging the behavior this year. They don't want their associates to get sick, and they don't want to be perceived as encouraging big crowds. Health department orders are also impacting how many people can be in a store at one time. For example, Ohio's state public health guidelines limited big-box stores to 50% of the fire code capacity over the summer of 2020, and these rules may be enforced during the holiday season, too.

What People Are Buying Online

Retailers have already seen a huge shift to online shopping in 2020. This was already taking place, but the COVID-19 pandemic turned it up several notches. More holiday shoppers will do their gift buying online than ever before. Gifts aren't the only things shoppers are buying online. They're also foregoing their usual runs to the beauty supply, pet and grocery stores. They're buying their dog food, specialty shampoo and toilet paper online.

Which Jobs Are Available for the 2020 Holiday Shopping Season

Although there will be fewer cashier and sales staff jobs at brick-and-mortar retail locations this holiday season, the difference will be made up at the warehouse and fulfillment centers. Most retailers are upping their staffing levels at these locations in order to handle the huge influx of online orders. Amazon is hiring part-time and full-time warehouse workers for its fulfillment centers. It is doing this in all states where it operates these facilities. Delivery drivers are also needed to get those orders from the warehouse to the customer. Companies like Amazon that have their own delivery vehicles and drivers will be hiring for those positions.

How the Shift in Jobs Will Affect the Customer's Shopping Experience

Most customers have gotten used to shopping online. They're adept at comparing prices, researching features and making their decisions without having to talk to a sales person. However, there is still a contingent of American consumers who do prefer to go to a store and talk to a sales associate. Some people don't trust shipping services or had a bad experience. Others just want to see their options in person before they make a decision. For customers who do visit a brick-and-mortar retailer this holiday season, they can expect to find fewer products on store shelves, and they may have to wait longer to pay.