Employers in Yorkshire are worried about access to skilled staff after Brexit

The survey of 31,500 respondents, including around 2,500 respondents in Yorkshire, found that 85 per cent of employers in the region said Brexit has had no impact on their recruitment over the past year. However, many remain apprehensive about the effect Brexit will have on skills shortages.

The research shows a north-south divide with regards to how businesses anticipate access to skills and talent will be affected.

Employers in London, the South, Scotland and Northern Ireland believe Brexit will impact their organisation’s ability to access talent and skills. Employers in the North East, North West and the Midlands seem less concerned.

Over half (52 per cent) of employers in London expect Brexit to decrease their access to talent. In contrast, only 23 per cent of employers in the North East believe this will be the case, while 32 per cent of employers in Yorkshire believe Brexit will impact their ability to access talent and skills.

Simon Winfield, Managing Director of Hays UK & Ireland, said: “It’s evident from our research that whilst a good proportion of employers believe the outlook for UK employment will be negative post-Brexit, there is still some cause for optimism given that the majority of employers say the prospect of Brexit hasn’t yet impacted their recruitment.

“The time lag following the referendum has undoubtedly impacted this. The employers we work with realised that they can’t put off hiring indefinitely and even now they are continuing to hire where there is a specific need and to support their investment in technology.

“Whatever post-Brexit UK looks like, employers will need a competitive approach to attracting and retaining talent. The uncertainty impacts candidates too and some of the top talent will be more reluctant to move.”