People suffering from health problems, including anxiety and fear of leaving their homes linked to lockdown restrictions, are contributing to rising unemployment, the boss of a major UK recruitment firm says, MPs told to
Member of Parliament Work Pension Committee Financially depressed people are reluctant to work in “busy work environments” since COVID-19, it said Wednesday, although many are keen to work from home, but all employers does not provide that level of flexibility.
About one-fifth of working-age adults in the UK are not economically active. This figure includes students, mothers and fathers caring for children, and people with long-term illnesses. It also includes early retirees who quit their jobs.
Reed Group executive Rhodri Thomas said there has been a shift since the lockdown focused on helping people who have been unable to leave their homes due to deteriorating mental health conditions.
“We have many participants who are reluctant to work in an environment where they have to deal with retail customer service in a busy work environment. Many participants want to work flexibly and are also looking for telecommuting options,” he said.
“In the last two years, we’ve seen real change in providing more offerings focused on people who are anxious or worried about leaving their homes,” he added.
“So we have to deal with people who are more worried about going back to work. I think part of the impact of the lockdown is worsening the mental health of some participants,” said Thomas. says Mr.
Ingeus CEO Fiona Monahan also said she has had “major mental health issues” since COVID-19.
“I think there are health issues and major mental health issues for us. Caregiving responsibilities are things we see as barriers, like caring for the elderly and childcare,” she said. He added that there is also a “skills gap”.
Since the pandemic, she said, “People want more flexibility in the jobs they do. What we’re seeing is that not all employers can offer that level of flexibility.” That’s it,” he added.
“I think there’s definitely been a shift in people’s attitudes post-pandemic, and it’s related to health,” added Richard Clifton, Shaw Trust’s Chief Commercial Officer.
“A huge and shocking waste of talent and potential”
In December Report by the Senate He said the UK stands out among developed countries for its “high inactivity rate and not returning to pre-pandemic trends”.
The recent increase in inactivity is also significant as it “breaks the historic trend of declining inactivity in the UK”.
In January, Prime Minister Jeremy Hunt petitioned those who left work during the pandemic and never returned.
Citing data showing millions of people have chosen to leave the workforce, Hunt warns that companies will struggle to grow if they can’t find enough staff. bottom.
Excluding students, this equates to 6.6 million people, a “huge and shocking waste of talent and potential,” he said.
Hunt added that about 5 million of these people do not want to work.
“So to those who retired early after the pandemic or who didn’t find a suitable role after the holidays, I say: Britain needs you. And to do your worthy work. We will consider the conditions necessary for the
last November, National Statistics Office (ONS) said the number of working-age adults who are out of the labor market due to long-term illness has increased since 2019, from about 2 million in spring 2019 to about 2.5 million in summer 2022. Reported.
The rise in long-term illness began before the pandemic, but since the pandemic hit the UK in early 2020, the number of people out of work due to long-term illness has risen by 363,000, according to the ONS.
PA Media contributed to this report.