As events unfold one day at a time, the damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on the U.S. job market looks much more profound than it seemed a week ago. As the COVID-19 outbreak spreads, healthcare workers across the world are struggling to treat the infected, guide the quarantined, tap the virus’ mutations, and predict the range of the outbreak.
The spread of the coronavirus is reflecting the spotlight on the importance of public health jobs. These jobs range from laboratories and offices to the quarantined cruise ships and hospitals. They play a significant role in protecting health during this coronavirus outbreak. The public health response ever since the outbreak has escalated to suffice the quickly rising need. Job postings are surging for workers with a wide variety of skills required to keep the epidemic in check.
Surge in job postings
Glassdoor had reported a rise in job posting in response to the outbreak. The need for healthcare professionals in the United States has seen a 3x increase. Out of all the job postings, 32 percent of the jobs are for health care, government, biotech & pharmaceuticals, and nonprofit industries. Another 34 percent include third-party staffing & recruiting firms that fill high-demand, contract positions. Registered nurses, communications associates, and social workers are topping the list.
Samples of Job Postings
The most substantial surge in job postings has been spurred mainly by the need for workers to assist the direct response to the disruption, which include healthcare workers.
Here is the list of some of the public health jobs that saw a spike after the outbreak of the new COVID-19 disease:
- Epidemiologist
- Registered nurses
- Laboratorians
- Environmental health experts
- Behavioral health experts
- Biostatisticians
Conclusion
The trajectory of the COVID-19 epidemic is still dubious. However, the first quantitative data of employees and employers show an increase in hiring in the public health sector. The demand for workers to help contain the outbreak will rise rapidly as the situation evolves.
Workers have a close eye on how employers handle the crisis. The data so far shows that employees are unhappy, especially with the shortage of work-from-home options. The onus is on the companies to adapt and fully execute their crisis response plans and restore employee confidence.
