Page 11 - Gi flipbook March 2018

Brexit uncertainty drags employer

confidence to lowest level since referendum

of those surveyed. There organisation during the
was also a steep decline in next three months.
the number of employers Employers fear
offering temporary staff organisations in the City
permanent status, from 16 could shed 10,500 jobs
per cent in January 2017 to on the first day of Brexit,
Brexit anxiety has affected just five per cent this month. including back-office and
employer confidence However, the survey client-facing roles spanning
found the main challenge to banks, insurance companies
businesses was political and and asset managers,
THE SHORTAGE OF The Recruitment and economic uncertainty, with according to EY findings
suitably qualified candidates Employment Confederation more than a third giving published in December 2017.
for UK jobs has contributed (REC) and ComRes’ latest this as a reason. A slightly Tom Hadley, REC Director
to employer confidence JobsOutlook survey of UK higher proportion said they of Policy, said employers’
dropping to its lowest level businesses, carried out believed Britain’s economic increased awareness of the
since the EU referendum, a between 24 November and conditions were worsening. potential impact of Brexit
report has found. 18 December 2017, revealed Employers in the on recruiting talent had
Nearly a quarter of the that employer confidence engineering and technical, played a large part in their
600 UK employers surveyed had hit a net balance of -14. health and social care, and declining confidence.
admitted that finding Employer confidence construction industries He then suggested that
suitable employees for job was down 40 points – were most likely to expect political and economic
vacancies was their most the lowest since the EU a shortage of staff for their uncertainty should be seen
significant challenge, reports referendum on 23 June 2016. permanent roles for the as opportunities, at least
People Management. The The net balance of hiring sixth consecutive month for employers and HR. “This
proportion of employers and investment decisions running. could lead to a step-change
that said they did not know also fell, by two points to London-based employers in diversity and inclusion
their short-term hiring plans nine over the same period. had the strongest reaction schemes and job design.
for temporary staff rose to Lack of skills or to uncertainty, with close HR has an opportunity to
27 per cent, up from nine experience within to half unsure about how show its worth and provide
per cent at the same point organisations was cited as many temporary workers the solutions employers are
last year. a challenge by 12 per cent they would take on in their looking for,” he said. ■

Employers urged to let staff ‘rest’ during working day

WORKERS SHOULD BE Health England says. Better Sleep loss costs the mood, Mr Varney writes.
given places to rest at work sleep maintains cognitive UK economy billions of There are also links
to help boost productivity, function in employees, as pounds per year, according between lack of proper
according to new official well as cutting health risks, to research by Rand sleep and high blood
guidance. according to a blog post Corporation. pressure, heart disease and
Downtime at work can from the health body. Lower productivity comes diabetes, he adds.
help employees switch Companies should through “absenteeism, The guidance, which was
off and get better quality encourage better “sleep when people don’t show up developed with corporate
sleep at night, Public hygiene”, reports the BBC. to work; and presenteeism, responsibility organisation
“Sleep is not just critical when people show up but Business in the Community,
to recovery, it essential for are working at suboptimal recommends that employers
maintaining cognitive skills levels”, according to Rand help their employees be
such as communicating Researcher Marco Hafner. open about any sleep-
well, remembering key People who fail to sleep related issues they have.
information and being between seven and nine Among steps employers can
creative and flexible in hours a day find their take is devising shift patterns
thought,” wrote Justin performance at work that give workers time to
Varney, National Lead deteriorates, are easily recover between shifts, and
Let workers take a break, for Adult Health and distracted, have a less letting workers “unplug” by
say health bosses Wellbeing at Public Health effective memory and are reducing or stopping out-of-
England. more likely to be in a bad work emails. ■

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News.indd 6 15/02/2018 14:25