The Adecco Group: New Research Shows a Widening Gap Between Small and Large Businesses Ahead of Brexit

LONDON, June 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Adecco Group UK&I's Spring Brexit tracker has revealed discrepancies between the number of large and small companies ready to make post-Brexit recruitment decisions. A third (34%) of small medium enterprises (SMEs) think they have enough information to make recruitment decisions after the UK leaves the European Union. This is compared to only 22% of larger organisations who appear more unsure of how Brexit will affect them. The research comes from the Adecco Group UK&I's Spring 2019 Brexit Tracker, compiled from data collected as part of the CIPD and the Adecco Group UK&I's Labour Market Outlook (LMO) report. The quarterly tracker went on to reveal that almost half of respondents (43%) think that Brexit will have a negative impact on their organisation.

The tracker also found that when it comes to the steps being taken to prepare the workforce for Brexit, communicating with staff regarding the potential implications is still the most popular option (26%).

Alex Fleming, Country Head and President of Staffing and Solutions, the Adecco Group UK and Ireland, said: "The delayed Brexit deadline should be seen as an opportunity for organisations to get their workforces ready for a future outside of the European Union. Clear and consistent communication with staff is one way to ensure organisations are able to retain existing talent. It's equally important to ensure that organisations are fuelling their own talent pipeline by upskilling employees with both technical and soft skills. These are all factors for companies to take into consideration now, regardless of whether or not they get more clarity around what the final Brexit deal will look like".