“In a recent poll, 80 per cent of REC members told us that a no-deal Brexit would have a negative impact on jobs and hiring activities. The extension means that this scenario has been averted for the time being and that there is some breathing space for both politicians and employers after a suffocating few weeks. Having taken a deep breath, the focus now must be on what happens next and on how our labour market might respond.
“So what might this six month limbo period mean for business confidence, demand for staff and for the jobs market as a whole? The feedback from recruitment professionals so far has been relatively upbeat, with a number indicating that employers could now look to move forward on hiring decisions that had been put on hold in the run up to the March 29th and April 12th deadlines. The UK’s vibrant temporary and contract market will also come to the fore over the coming months, providing a key outlet for employers at a time of ongoing uncertainty.
“As well as continuing to push for political leaders from all parties to build a workable compromise, we will be using monthly REC jobs data and our programme of regional Brexit workshops to support our members and monitor specific trends in both demand and supply of staff across key sectors during this ‘Brextension’ limbo period.”
