Brexit challenges talent in UK Hospitality

Whilst taking a well earned break recently I was in the fortunate position to spend some time in France, and was considering the potential impact of a Young Persons Movement Scheme for people under 30 from the UK to the European Union.

Free movement between the UK and the European Union ended on 31 December 2020 and on 1 January 2021, the UK implemented a points-based immigration system that prioritises skills and talent over where a person comes from.

Since the end of free movement, there has been a significant impact on the recruitment of young European workers, looking to enhance and broaden their hospitality experience in London and other parts of the UK.  And it has impacted the other way as well, there are so many opportunities for hospitality-inspired people to gain the experience and understanding of quality and effective customer service.

It doesn’t matter which way it’s looked at, the continent has always regarded a career in hospitality as something of a profession. Much more so than in the UK, where sometimes it feels more of a "well if you can't do anything else” you can always work in Hospitality.

Within UK Hospitality the dearth of overseas workers from Europe, has pushed up wages. And let’s be honest, not everyone employed is what the leaders of restaurants and other hospitality outlets would desire to represent their brand and deliver their services, but needs must in this current climate.

Politicians, academics, and campaign groups have called for the creation of an EU-UK youth mobility scheme that would enable 18- to 30-year-olds to work and/or study in either the UK or the EU for a limited time.

Personally, I’m hoping that the scheme for young people to gain experience in our European neighbours countries, and vice versa will happen sooner rather than later, so that some of the Brexit damage to the hospitality industry, and the UK as a whole, can start to be repaired.

The next step needs to be to make it easier for older, more experienced workers to be able to transfer their skills and knowledge across the channel, or La Manche.  This will enable us to work together and share those lost skills and knowledge, as well as rebuilding friendships with our closest neighbours and allies.

If you’re a leader in the Hospitality industry and are feeling frazzled about your finances - why not work with a company who understands the true value of Hospitality and cares about the industry challenges - check out ETC.

At ETC Finance Limited we become your outsourced finance team, with astute and seasoned hospitality-savvy professionals offering full accounting, payroll, live finance insights, compliance, and strategic direction. 

We let you focus on your business, not the spreadsheets. 

Reach out today for a free, impartial chat to see how we can help you:

Email: enquiries@etcfinance.co.uk 

Call: 0207 305 5660 

Andrew Carr, Operations Director, ETC Finance Ltd