UK company employees are having to move locations, develop new skills and their job roles have needed to be redesigned in the wake of the UK’s Brexit deal with the European Union, according to a new report from specialist recruiter Robert Half.

According to the report, 85% of UK businesses have restructured and more than half – 56% – believe that leaving the EU has negatively affected their operations.

Nearly half of UK businesses (44%) have had to redesign job roles and responsibilities, while 20% have laid off staff; 16% have required team members to relocate, the survey of UK executives found. A further 6% indicated they have implemented a combination of all the above.

Only 15% say they have not had to make any changes because of Brexit.

“Brexit has created both challenges and opportunities for British businesses, and it’s up to each individual organisation to make sure they have the agility and responsiveness to capitalise on this upheaval,” said Matt Weston, managing director, Robert Half UK. “These findings underscore the impact Brexit has had on the way companies operate, especially coming on the heels of the major changes wrought by Covid-19.”

The research was conducted by Rigour Research, surveying 300 UK executives from 18 March to 1 April 2021.

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