Skills shortage and Brexit 'could have disastrous impact'
UK faces a renewed skills gap crisis. What can be done to mitigate this post-Brexit reality?
12 June 2018Nine out of 10 employers are struggling to recruit the skilled staff they need, according to a survey by the educational organisation City and Guilds.Based on interviews with more than 1,000 employers, the YouGov survey found that more than 40 per cent of firms currently employ staff from other EU nations and fear that Brexit will only make the skills shortage worse and will hamper business growth.
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John Coldicutt, chief commercial officer at Planday, said: "These findings show to us the depth of the potential impact of Brexit on the UK economy, with the hospitality industry being hit especially hard."There's clearly false confidence within the hospitality sector, with almost three times as many workers considering leaving as managers expect."Now more than ever it's crucial that managers make sure they have the right infrastructure in place to engage their employees and build genuine loyalty."
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What can be done about UK employment skills gap?
Kirstie Donnelly, managing director of City and Guilds, said: “The UK is facing a skills gaps crisis which, if goes unaddressed, could have a disastrous impact on UK businesses’ ability to compete on a global scale post-Brexit.‘’While there is a great deal more to be done at a policy level to manage and minimise skills gaps in the future, it is also important that employers are taking steps to shore up their own skills pipelines. “Our research found that over a quarter of employers plan to prepare for Brexit by upskilling their current workforce, but more should be considering this route. “By offering high quality training on the job, employers not only secure the skilled workforce they need, but they can also boost productivity and increase staff loyalty, retention and engagement.’’A separate study by business software consultancy Planday found that 10 per cent of workers in the hospitality, catering and hotels sector were considering leaving the UK because of Brexit.The survey of more than 400 hospitality workers and 260 managers found that half the EU workers considered the referendum vote to leave the bloc had made the UK a less welcoming place to live, while two out of five did not believe the government understood the needs of EU citizens working in the hospitality industry.Related stories:
- Warnings over Brexit “brain drain”
- Hard Brexit will damage the benefits of UK citizenship says new report
- Brexit: what lies ahead for the UK’s financial services?
For more related news and features, visit our Brexit section.
John Coldicutt, chief commercial officer at Planday, said: "These findings show to us the depth of the potential impact of Brexit on the UK economy, with the hospitality industry being hit especially hard."There's clearly false confidence within the hospitality sector, with almost three times as many workers considering leaving as managers expect."Now more than ever it's crucial that managers make sure they have the right infrastructure in place to engage their employees and build genuine loyalty."
What is the post-Brexit job outlook for UK finance and business?
A third employment study published on Tuesday found the outlook for job creation in the business and financial services sector had fallen to a nine-year low.The research by employment group Manpower said that while jobs growth in other sectors of the economy was still growing, a "weakness" was emerging in the jobs market in the financial sector.James Hick, managing director of Manpower, said: "This is the first quarter since 2009 - when Britain was in the depths of the financial crisis - that we've seen business and financial services employers record a negative outlook."As the UK is a global centre for financial and professional services, if the sector is shrinking, it's not good news for UK plc. While financial services only employ 3.5 per cent of workers, it generates about 11 per cent of government tax receipts."Factors behind the decline in the sector's jobs outlook included bank branch closures and the fact new compliance rules were now in place, resulting in fewer staff being needed, said Manpower.Relocate’s new Global Mobility Toolkit provides free information, practical advice and support for HR, global mobility managers and global teams operating overseas.Access hundreds of global services and suppliers in our Online Directory ©2024 Re:locate magazine, published by Profile Locations, Spray Hill, Hastings Road, Lamberhurst, Kent TN3 8JB. All rights reserved. This publication (or any part thereof) may not be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of Profile Locations. Profile Locations accepts no liability for the accuracy of the contents or any opinions expressed herein.
