Understandably, much of the focus throughout the COVID-19 crisis so far has been on how best we can mitigate the rise in unemployment that we are likely to see as Government support for firms and workers tapers off over the coming months. So far much of that discussion has centred on how workers who lose their jobs can be supported back into employment, either through additional skills training and development, or through more proactive employment support, guidance and job matching. But relatively little has been written about what kinds of jobs we expect to be created in the future, or the need to improve working life in those sectors that are likely to grow as a result of the pandemic.

The most obvious example is in retail, where the shift to online shopping is on track to accelerate even faster as a result of the crisis. In recent weeks we have seen a steady stream of major retailers announcing their plans to cut jobs, including Marks and Spencer, TM Lewin and Ted Baker. But alongside news of job cuts, we have also seen announcements of new retail related jobs being created. For example, this week delivery company Hermes declared it was planning to create 10,500 jobs in the UK (9,000 of which will be freelance) after seeing a surge in demand from people shopping from home during the lockdown. Clearly, the sense here is that as public health concerns and restrictions persist, we will see even more jobs in shops replaced by courier roles and jobs in distribution centres than was already taking place before the pandemic.

Given the significant concerns over job shortages, the creation of new roles is of course welcome news. The problem is that at present this kind of work is often insecure, with workers lacking certainty over their pay and hours, and often with no representation in the workplace. On top of low pay rates, many gig workers find that they need to supply their own vehicles and insurance. Even when support from companies is available, it can have strict eligibility criteria, such as Uber’s free accident and injury cover that requires 150 rides in the 8 weeks prior to any accident or illness. Distribution centre and warehouse workers, such as those at Amazon fulfilment centres, can also face strict targets that limit their abilities to take breaks without risking wage loss or firing.

However, the truth is that there is nothing inherent about these roles that mean they must lead to worker insecurity. Job quality in these sectors can be improved, both through improved regulation driven by Government, and through more progressive employment practices being adopted by firms. Hermes themselves demonstrated this last year, in striking what was at the time described as a ‘ground-breaking’ pay deal for employees in conjunction with the GMB union, which included the opportunity for couriers to access paid leave and guaranteed wage rates. The pandemic has also highlighted the precarious situation of workers who cannot access paid sick leave. Responding to the early stages of the crisis, Hermes also negotiated with GMB to establish a fund and help workers who needed to self-isolate by finding cover for their routes and ensuring their jobs would be there when they return.

But such arrangements remain the exception, and while promising, this progress for workers can be ad hoc, dependent on individual tribunal rulings and unions reaching agreements with specific organisations – not changing whole sectors or industries. What is needed are broader reforms that can extend rights and protections to all workers.

As the shape of the post-pandemic economy becomes clearer, now is the time for Government to seize the initiative to demand better employment rights and conditions within those sectors set to grow. Many of the reforms highlighted in the Good Work Plan, such as the right to request a more stable contract, the extension of a break in continuous service to 4 weeks and equal pay for agency workers, would go some way to improving working conditions for these growing sectors. But beyond basic rights, Government and the companies creating these new jobs need to enforce and implement reforms and practices that create quality work to ensure workers in these growing sectors have fair wages, feel safe, have their voices heard and feel autonomy over their work.

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