COVID-19 headwinds and the historically high unemployment rate have fostered bifurcated demand in the HR & Staffing Services industry.  Companies serving noncyclical end markets such as Healthcare and IT have experienced continued demand amid the pandemic, while HR & Staffing companies serving industries that have suffered like Retail, have experienced decreased demand.  Although 2020 deal volume is down substantially year-over-year (YOY), the HR & Staffing Services industry experienced a mild resurgence in Q4 transaction volume lending to a favorable outlook for 2021.

As the pandemic swept across the globe, strategic and private equity buyers focused on internal risk mitigation strategies to assess operational and liquidity concerns.  In addition, sellers have largely delayed exits as owners assess valuation impacts and look for enhanced visibility into capital markets. As vaccine and political uncertainties ease, Capstone believes 2021 will yield a window of opportunity for sellers, as private equity buyers remain flush with capital and strategic buyers become less concerned with their own liquidity.

The pandemic has uncovered lapses in IT capabilities, presenting a heightened necessity for digital transformation and remote workplace support services across all sectors.  As companies reemerge and are introduced to the new normal, IT services and support solutions are needed to foster robust remote capabilities, albeit with different bandwidth and geographic reach.

As the world begins to unwind lockdown measures, organizations have shifted emphasis toward establishing protocols and best practices to ensure workplace safety. Considerations such as overcrowding in communal areas and foot traffic management may result in facilities implementing advanced controlled entries and exits, occupancy limits, and real-time tracking systems.