Back in 2016 75% of British voters turned up at the polling stations to seal the fate of our country. To leave or not to leave? That is the question. Or that WAS the question I should say. Long story short, we decided to leave, and the question remaining is, what will that mean for our country, and more SPECIFICALLY, what will that mean for the recruitment industry.
Firstly, it is no secret that there will be change once the country leaves the EU, there will be change in trade, change in economy, change in produce, change in what comes into our country and what goes out, change in legislation and change in government. A lot of CHANGE. We know that change is essential when considering growth, however it can also be intimidating when we are unsure of whether this change is going to help or hurt us. Once the government have secured a deal with Brussels, we may have a better idea of what direction our country is headed, and how big a change we can anticipate. For the time being however, we can only speculate (in a well-informed manner of course.)
So, what kind of changes should we be anticipating in the recruitment industry? At the moment, we remain unsure as to how Brexit will impact Europeans coming into the UK to work. The lack of security in not knowing has cast the UK into a bit of a dark shadow, causing less well qualified candidates from the continent to consider the UK as a stable environment to move to at this present time. This lack of assurance at the moment is only hypothetical, simply a result of what ‘may be’ not what ‘IS’. If, once a deal is determined, it doesn’t favour Europeans emigrating to the UK, we will find that the multilingual European talent pool coming into our country will decrease at a rapid rate. Although it is an intimidating thought, it is something that as an industry and as a country we need to address. Sadly, ignoring the issue in this situation will be more detrimental than helpful.
Brexit will be the catalyst in causing a fundamental change in the role of the recruiter. Due to the uncertain nature of Brexit, the market itself is sure to become uncertain itself. Candidates are more likely to be nervous and less likely to leave their current roles for that reason. Clients also are bound to be far more cautious when considering new hires, it will not be considered an appropriate time for ‘taking risks’. However, as we have seen in times past, everything has a season. This time of nervousness/caution will pass as we come to better understand the situation we are in. It is very likely that we will as a result, have stronger relationships with countries such as America and China, subsequently opening up countless opportunities for those recruiters with the vision to see it. Although structural change will unavoidably occur to our relationship with Europe, it is unlikely that those qualified Europeans wishing to join our workforce will have any issue moving to the UK.
So will Brexit impact the recruitment industry? Undoubtedly. Will it negatively impact the recruitment industry? That in itself is the choice of the recruiters in question. Seek opportunity in the changes that Brexit will bring, keep your eyes peeled for chances to be innovative because they will be plentiful.
Leah Moy
Marketing Executive at CPI Selection
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