In the wake of June’s EU referendum, there has been much speculation on how Brexit will affect UK businesses.
Likely changes to the free movement of workers and employment law means that, from an HR perspective, things could get fairly complicated. So, with preparation and planning critical, we’ve outlined a few ways you can get ready for the changes ahead.
How HR professionals Can Prepare for Brexit
- Know Your Workforce: Performing a workplace audit to determine the origin of your business’s employees is a crucial first step. Once you have a clear picture of which employees will be affected by limitations to the free movement of workers, you can see how your business will be affected and plan your strategy accordingly.
- Assist and communicate with EU employees: This is a period of great uncertainty for them, and many may be contemplating leaving the country before Brexit comes into effect. To avoid high employee turnover open clear communication channels, keeping them informed of any changes affecting their situation. Be open to questions they may have about their job security. And, if applicable, help them apply for UK residency.
- Considerations for Future Employment: With all the confusion over EU worker status, it may be tempting to avoid employing EU nationals. However, it’s vital businesses continue to view them as they would UK nationals for recruitment, training and promotion. A consideration for some businesses that employ a large number of non-EU or -UK nationals may be to think about offshoring to make their operations simpler and less costly.
Whatever the outcome, the onus will be on HR professionals to make matters simple for affected employees and the business as a whole. Thankfully, management tools like Cezanne Human Resources software help streamline the process. See the infographic below for more on what changes to make in the run up to Brexit.
