One in 10 hospitality staff considering leaving UK due to Brexit

A survey has revealed that over one in 10 hospitality workers (11%, equivalent to 330,000 staff nationally) are thinking about leaving the UK because of Brexit.

The survey launched by workforce collaboration software company Planday and conducted by YouGov showed a disparity between the hospitality employees and managers as managers felt that just 4% of their staff would be leaving.

Some 3% of hospitality managers predict they will be forced to close their businesses as a result of Brexit, which nationally could equate to around a £1.1bn loss for the economy.

Almost one in five (18%) of hospitality managers said they found recruitment harder now than in April 2017. Some 16% of hospitality managers do not think they will be able to fulfil staffing requirements over the next five years with domestic workers.

Furthermore, 30% of workers expressed some form of concern about their job as a result of Brexit. Topping the list were immigration worries, with 23% (equivalent to around 86,500 people nationally) of staff polled who are born outside the UK concerned that they would be forced to leave.

Other key staff worries amongst all staff focus on expectations of pay decrease (11%) or being made to work longer hours (6%). About a third of managers (32%) who haven’t done so already think they will have to pay higher salaries and will experience labour (21%) and skills shortages (15%).

Almost half (45%) of hospitality managers want the government to offer some form of assistance while 30% want specific work permits or visas for hospitality workers post Brexit.

Peter Ducker, chief executive of the Institute of Hospitality, said: “Brexit will present some fundamental challenges to our sector if the changes proposed around immigration are approved, given the sheer number of staff and businesses that would be affected.

“These results clearly show the need across the sector for forward-planning and we are encouraged to see evidence of the industry stepping up to the challenges ahead through increased training and upskilling as well as the many innovative recruitment strategies we know our members are starting to put in place.”