There is a shortage of manpower in the UK

LONDON – Upon reopening after a long period of lockdown, the United Kingdom realized tens of thousands of workers were missing from the call. At the basis of labor shortages like we haven’t seen since the 1990s, there is – most likely – Brexit and the new (rather strict) rules regarding seasonal work and UK residence permits in general.

As the Guardian wrote, all the personnel who traditionally came from across the canal are missing: no cooks, kitchen workers, policemen, workers but not only. The “gaps” are also becoming noticeable in high-level, well-paid jobs, such as finance, information technology, accounting and engineering.

These flaws, according to BBC expert Jane Gratton, are endemic to the British system, but Brexit, combined with the shutdown due to Covid, has made them even more apparent. In short, those who left during the pandemic lockdown have never wanted to return.

For the UK restart, it is a major bottleneck, which employers are struggling to rectify as EU workers, due to the bureaucratic component, are much more reluctant than in the past to leave the continent. According to an analysis by the British Chamber of Commerce today, 70% of companies that have tried to hire since June have struggled to find employees.

One possible solution, because from the point of view of the legislature it will not be able to change in a short time, can be found in the education, training and modernization of employees who are already there: “But we must move quickly,” always explains to The Guardian, Claire Warnes, director of training at the company. KPMG, “The risk of a slowdown in recovery is real.”