Brexit: human resourcing implications
| Pages | 1033-1045 |
| Published date | 02 August 2019 |
| Date | 02 August 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-11-2018-0310 |
| Author | Maranda Ridgway |
| Subject Matter | Hr & organizational behaviour,Industrial/labour relations,Employment law |
Brexit: human resourcing
implications
Maranda Ridgway
Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
Abstract
Purpose –Three years on from the Brexit vote, while it remains a central topic for debate in the media, there
has been limited discussion about the human resource (HR) implications. The purpose of this paper is to
provide theoretical evaluation and informed discussion, distilled into four interconnected propositions, on
how employee resourcing as a HR practice may be impacted following actual Brexit decisions.
Design/methodology/approach –Drawing on the employee resourcing literature, the paper adopts a
discursive approach which examines how the UK’s decision to exit the European Union will affect HR
practice. The paper draws comparison with the global recession since 2008, a similarly unprecedented
development in its discussion of employee resourcing practices and draws parallels whichmay help to inform
the future of HR practices in the UK, because of Brexit.
Findings –This paper offers a set of propositions; the flow of talent into the UK may become more restricted
and reinvigorate the “war for talent”that followed the effects of the global financial crisis on the UK. To
attract and retain workers in relatively lower-skilled roles, employers may be faced with a need to re-skill such
roles and adopt more flexible working arrangements. Finally, to meet skilled employment requirements,
removal of restrictions to recruit from within the European Economic Area may trigger increased global
migration of skilled workers.
Originality/value –This paper contributes to the discussions regarding the implications of Brexit for HR
practice by offering propositions to shape future research agendas.
Keywords Migration, Labour market, Brexit, Employee resourcing, Human resource practice
Paper type Conceptual paper
Introduction
The recruitment and selection of workers, the practice of managing people and the working
lives of employees will all be affected fundamentally by Brexit. This paper offers informed
discussion of potential implications for human resource (HR) practices that flow from Brexit.
It does so by focussing on the economic impact of Brexit, its effects on workers’rights and
xenophobia which Brexit has stimulated (Ford, 2016; Hatzigeorgiou and Lodefalk, 2016;
Stewart, 2017). The paper identifies four HR issues that are likely to be significantly affected
by Brexit, namely employee retention, labour market skillset, increased non-European
Union (EU) immigration and increased flexible working. The discussion of these four issues
culminates in four propositions that are likely to inform HR practice once the UK has
formally left the EU; each of these propositions is likely to shape future work and
employment research agendas. While the focus of this paper is on Brexit, wider implications
can be drawn regarding the ways that organisations respond to crises and uncertainty.
In June 2016, a national referendum resulted in the UK’s unprecedented decision to leave
the EU –a decision to “Brexit”. Article 50, the formal process of withdrawal from the EU,
has since been triggered and the official separation of the UK from the EU is now in motion.
While associated negotiations are underway, the distance between these and the
implications of the decision for employers going forward after Brexit becomes real are
uncertain and create associated economic, legal and political volatility for employers
(Linacre, 2017).
Employee Relations: The
International Journal
Vol. 41 No. 5, 2019
pp. 1033-1045
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0142-5455
DOI 10.1108/ER-11-2018-0310
Received 29 November 2018
Revised 29 April 2019
9 May 2019
Accepted 17 May 2019
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0142-5455.htm
The author is grateful for the guidance received from Professor Ian Clark and Professor Daniel King
and for the valuable comments received from the anonymous reviewer.
1033
Brexit
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