The coronavirus outbreak has sparked an urgent call for people to help essential services like the NHS and food retailers meet the intense demands upon them.
Recruitment agencies have answered the call by working round the clock to find workers who can fill the gaps.
Health boards across the Cardiff Capital Region are in urgent need of domestic and cleaning staff, and people to work in store and warehousing, clerical and call handling, driving, security, mechanical, facilities and catering roles.
Dan Langford, Group Marketing Director of Acorn Recruitment, said the company had been working flat out to find extra staff for the NHS, grocers and other retailers, manufacturers of food and provisions and medical supplies.
Dan used a blog post on LinkedIn to appeal to his contacts to tell anyone they know who was looking for immediate work to get in touch.
He wrote:
“If through your business, your networks, or family and friends, you are aware of anyone who is looking for immediate work, then please direct them through to us.
“The activities listed above require as many people as possible, and as urgently as possible. The jobs may not be what people are used to doing, but it is immediate paid work, and they would be contributing to the huge effort required to bring some stability and support to suppliers and front-line services. People interested in any of the immediate opportunities available should visit www.acornpeople.com.”
Dan added that things were “pretty intense” at Acorn, with colleagues working late into the evenings and throughout the weekend to meet the huge demand.
He said:
“There is certainly a huge sense of purpose driving everyone; doing what we can to support urgent front-line services, as well as providing vital back-up to supply chains, maintaining essential stocks levels on retailers' shelves. Yes, it is our business, it’s what we do, but it’s not often we have had to respond in the way we are currently – it’s been exceptional.”
The epidemic has seen a number of companies lay off workers due to closures and falling demand, while many home-based self-employed people have found themselves without work. Recruitment agencies are urging these people to get in touch with them if they want to help those services and firms that are crying out for extra help in this moment of need.
