We spoke to FuturePrint Virtual Summit speaker Dorinda Gibbons, Director and Owner of digital inkjet focused recruitment company Profile Recruitment. Dorinda gives FuturePrint her thoughts on how COVID-19 is changing recruitment, the sector-dependent impact of the pandemic, and which businesses are increasing sales.

Don’t miss Dorinda’s session, Recruitment Challenges for Print, on June 4th.

 Check out the full schedule here.

 WHAT IMPACT IS COVID-19 HAVING ON PRINT?

 Some companies are having to shut manufacturing, working with limited people in the office, furloughing staff and even redundancies.  Many individual are working from home some of which have never done, which needs a good IT infrastructure and support. The full impact depends on what sector of the print market you are in, your customer base and supply chain.

WHAT KIND OF LONG-LAST IMPACT ON THE INDUSTRY WILL IT LIKELY HAVE?

We all hope the industry can bounce back after this but the landscape of the world will no doubt have changed.  I feel it depends on what sectors companies supply to as to the immediate impact it will have.   Companies selling into sectors that have been massively affected may need to consider pivoting their business. Companies who are supplying to medical, pharmaceutical, packaging, food and beverage will continue to grow, anything needed packaging and labels will hopefully see an increase in sales.  Also, anything to support online shopping and packaging.

HOW HAVE YOU RESPONDED TO THE CRISIS?

As a recruitment business, we are supplying a service to the sector, whilst some clients are still recruiting many roles have been put on hold.  For the roles that are being recruited this is now having to be done by different methods, phone, Zoom, Skype, Hangouts etc.

Profile is looking to connect with as many people as possible across the industry, speaking to good people who are looking for their next challenge ready to place them in their perfect roles when recruitment can accelerate. I am also working with clients to support them in any way I can.

WHICH SECTORS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY DO YOU BELIEVE HAVE BEEN MOST STRONGLY IMPACTED BY COVID-19 AND WHY? 

Sectors that have been most strongly impacted are companies that supply to travel,  hospitality and leisure, non- essential retail, and estate agents.  This may include printers who have previously supplied these companies where these products are not currently necessary and have stopped trading.

WHAT CONSUMER TRENDS DO YOU THINK WILL GROW AS A RESULT OF THE CRISIS?

Consumer trends that will grow as a result of the crisis are people buying online with time tested brands they can trust, DIY  will continue to grow be it home and garden improvements, baking and sewing and beauty products and hair dyes, and DIY nail kits.   Consumers will now continue to shop online and source more locally where possible with local farms and shops. One local supplier of food and vegetable boxes have seen a massive acceleration in sales with customers that will hopefully maintain for the long term.

Contact Dorinda

Register for the FuturePrint Virtual Summit here.