The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in an era of uncertainty for businesses and consumers alike, with even well-established franchises pressed to the point of closing their doors altogether. Stressors including supply chain disruptions, high rates of employee furlough, and the retreat of consumers to their homes while sheltering in place were all responsible for a significant downturn in businesses--especially service-based businesses.
Restaurants, hotels, retailers, transportation and
travel services
were among the verticals most severely impacted by the pandemic. These verticals are still struggling with the aftermath, even nearly 2 years after the initial shutdown.
It seems counterintuitive: if businesses are opening back up, and people are resuming their pre-pandemic activities, then these businesses should be making a comeback. Due to the volatility of the labor market, and a shrinking (more selective?) workforce, the opposite is true. Unfortunately, service-based enterprises are now struggling to meet the demands of resuming “business as usual,” with less operating capital and employee retention rates sinking to all-time lows. This overall lack of resources--both personnel and capital--caused even well-known brands (
Dunkin’
for example) to close hundreds of locations.
And it’s not just big corporations feeling the heat. Small businesses are under pressure from the same economic forces, with data from the National Federation of Independent Business
51%
of small business owners reporting open positions they failed to fill in September.
In summation: Amid the volatile labor market, any employer--whether a large company or a small, independently owned business--must focus even more heavily on employee retention due to the lack of personnel resources and operating capital. It’s more important than ever to retain even low-engagement employees and cultivate better working habits through proper incentives.
To learn more about our proven incentive-based retention strategies, check out expert-sourced supporting data on the
Research
page.