--- title: "13 Scary Stats: How the Pandemic Haunts the Job Market" description: From supply chain shortage to cyber attacks, the effects of the pandemic are haunting the job market. image: https://blog.steppingblocks.com/hubfs/Scary%20Stats%20About%20the%20Pandemic%20and%20Jobs.jpg --- [![Sb_logo220.png](https://blog.steppingblocks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo%20Image%20Files/Sb_logo220.png?width=220&name=Sb_logo220.png "Sb_logo220.png")](https://www.steppingblocks.com) ## **Steppingblocks Stories** Industry trends, innovations and news for an empowered campus. Lead the future of higher education. ### Featured Story [All posts **](https://blog.steppingblocks.com/all) - ** [Lists](https://blog.steppingblocks.com/tag/lists) ## [Exploring Outcomes For High Earning Female Graduat...](https://blog.steppingblocks.com/high-earning-female-plc) Pay equity is a critical issue in the workforce and for Higher Education. Steppingblocks previously explored the R2 universities producing the highest... - ![](https://blog.steppingblocks.com/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(65)%20(1).png) - **Dr. Jacob Bonne ** July 11, 2023 12:56:04 PM EDT . 6 min read - READ TIME 7 MINS | - - [Career Readiness](https://blog.steppingblocks.com/tag/career-readiness) # 13 Scary Stats: How the Pandemic Haunts the Job Market - ![Erin King](https://blog.steppingblocks.com/hubfs/Erin%20Pearson.jpg) - Written by Erin King ![13 Scary Stats: How the Pandemic Haunts the Job Market](https://blog.steppingblocks.com/hubfs/Scary%20Stats%20About%20the%20Pandemic%20and%20Jobs.jpg "13 Scary Stats: How the Pandemic Haunts the Job Market") The Future of Work looks different through the lens of a global pandemic, or maybe it's a little more clear. Some of us were considered essential and forced to work in strained, sometimes lethal environments. Others were forced out of work, and can't pay bills or rent. No matter who you are, the pandemic influenced how you live, work and survive. Reskilling and upskilling are essential to meeting new demands in the Future of Work. Here are 13 scary stats haunting the job markets of today and tomorrow. [![Fast Facts: Highest Paying Skills for Computer Science Grads](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2665497/ee558104-d964-482c-94d7-8784a238d98f.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2665497/ee558104-d964-482c-94d7-8784a238d98f) ## 1. 20% of business travel may not ever return McKinsey’s [travel practice](https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/industries/travel%20logistics%20and%20infrastructure/our%20insights/the%20travel%20industry%20turned%20upside%20down%20insights%20analysis%20and%20actions%20for%20travel%20executives/the-travel-industry-turned-upside-down-insights-analysis-and-actions-for-travel-executives.pdf) estimates business travel, the most lucrative segment for airlines, may not ever return to pre-pandemic numbers. Leisure travel, however, is expected to bounce back. ## 2. Cooks have the No. 1 most hazardous job According to a [UC San Francisco study](https://abc7news.com/coronavirus-jobs-covid-study-ucsf/9987621/) from March to October 2020 for working age California residents, cooks have the most hazardous occupation for essential workers during the pandemic. The study cited that food and agriculture workers had a 39 percent increase in deaths. ## 3. Over 500K breaches occurred during video conferencing [Deloitte reports](https://www2.deloitte.com/ch/en/pages/risk/articles/impact-covid-cybersecurity.html): Between February and May 2020 more than half a million people globally were affected by breaches in which the personal data of video conferencing users was stolen and sold on the dark web. The rise of remote work during the pandemic increases the need for cybersecurity, yet there are nearly [465,000 unfilled cyber jobs](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/08/02/cybersecurity-202-governments-facing-severe-shortage-cyber-workers-when-it-needs-them-most/) across the nation. [![13 Scary Stats on the Pandemic Infographic by Steppingblocks](https://blog.steppingblocks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/13%20Scary%20Stats%20on%20the%20Pandemic%20Infographic%20by%20Steppingblocks.png?width=600&name=13%20Scary%20Stats%20on%20the%20Pandemic%20Infographic%20by%20Steppingblocks.png)](https://blog.steppingblocks.com/hubfs/Infographics/13%20Scary%20Stats%20How%20the%20Pandemic%20Haunts%20the%20Job%20Market.pdf) ## 4. More women than men quit the labor force From February 2020 to February 2021, a net [2.4 million women](https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/04/14/u-s-labor-market-inches-back-from-the-covid-19-shock-but-recovery-is-far-from-complete/) left the labor force, compared to 1.8 million men. Pew Research Center also reports the labor force participation rate for women has also declined. ## 5. Executives plan to reduce office space by 30% This [survey of 278 executives by McKinsey](https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/the-future-of-work-after-covid-19) forecasts a grim future for restaurants, retail and public transportation in downtown areas as demand will decline when remote work rises. ## 6. The leisure and hospitality industry has an unemployment rate of 9% Nevada holds the [highest unemployment rate](https://www.statista.com/statistics/217787/unemployment-rate-in-the-united-states-by-industry-and-class-of-worker/) in the country. Hospitality and tourism dominate the state's economy, and although they've seen gains, their road to recovery is a long one. ## 7. We face a nursing shortage of 1.1MM Our healthcare system is strained by an aging nursing population with over 500,000 RNs expected to retire by 2022. To make matters worse, the working conditions and workload exacerbated by the pandemic caused heightened stress in the field and a drain on the pipeline. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the [need for expansion](https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/workforce/) to avoid a shortage. ## 8. Ecommerce grew 2-5X faster in 2020 than before the pandemic That's scary fast. According to LinkedIn, hiring for [Frontline Ecommerce Workers](https://www.searchenginejournal.com/linkedin-top-15-in-demand-jobs-in-2021/392479/#close) grew 73 percent year-over-year. [McKinsey reports](https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/the-future-of-work-after-covid-19) other kinds of virtual transactions have also taken off, like online banking and telemedicine. ## 9. Our supply chain shortage is super scary Here's a breakdown of the shortage in numbers: The warehouse industry had a record [490,000 job openings](https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/why-store-shelves-are-empty-supply-chain-crisis-shortages-2021-10) in July, the trucking industry has a shortage of 80,000 drivers and the [manufacturing industry lost 578,000](https://www.powderbulksolids.com/business/americas-supply-chain-crisis-numbers) jobs in 2020. ## 10. 25% more workers may need to switch occupations Healthcare and IT jobs may grow while jobs in the food service industry may shrink. It's expected that [most growth will happen in high-wage jobs](https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/the-future-of-work-after-covid-19), so there's a mounting need for workers to learn new skills in order to remain employed. ## 11. Hawaii's travel economy suffered a 60% decline Although the pandemic impacted travel in every state, [Hawaii saw the biggest decline](https://www.ustravel.org/toolkit/covid-19-travel-industry-research) year-over-year. Through the Workforce Innovation Network, the state is assessing skills to ensure [diversification beyond tourism](https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2021-06-07/alabama-and-hawaii-focus-on-providing-job-opportunities-in-the-post-pandemic-economy). ## 12. 20-25% of the workforce could work from home According to McKinsey, even a partial shift to a hybrid remote-work model could completely [change the landscape](https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/the-future-of-work-after-covid-19) of how employers operate from insurance to salaries to perks. ## 13. Orders for industrial robots surged 20% Interest in automation and AI got a boost during the pandemic as employers across all industries looked for ways to increase production with fewer resources. Supply Chain Dive reports that [orders of industrial robots](https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/robot-automation-orders-pandemic-investment-automotive-life-science-metals/600355/) in North America surged 20 percent year-over-year in the first quarter of 2021. Career path mapping is critical for resiliency and future-proofing your success. [Click here to create a free account](https://www.steppingblocks.com/create-your-student-account) and explore over 130 million real career journeys for yourself or for your institution. - [**](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.steppingblocks.com%2Fhow-the-pandemic-haunts-the-job-market) - [**](https://www.twitter.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.steppingblocks.com%2Fhow-the-pandemic-haunts-the-job-market) - [**](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.steppingblocks.com/how-the-pandemic-haunts-the-job-market) ## What is Steppingblocks for students? Research your future career with real-world stats about *your* major, *your* interests, and *your* job title. Turn billions of data-points into actionable insights about your future with a few simple clicks. Watch the video to find out how. ![](https://fast.wistia.com/embed/medias/znvys18gjs/swatch) ## Related Articles - [Lists](https://blog.steppingblocks.com/topic/lists) ### [Exploring Outcomes For High Earning Female Graduat...](https://blog.steppingblocks.com/high-earning-female-plc) Pay equity is a critical issue in the workforce and for Higher Education. S... [Read More →](https://blog.steppingblocks.com/high-earning-female-plc) - [Lists](https://blog.steppingblocks.com/topic/lists) ### [Exploring Outcomes For High Earning Female Graduat...](https://blog.steppingblocks.com/high-earning-female-wac) Pay equity is a critical issue in the workforce and for Higher Education. S... 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