Three-quarters of young workers fear Brexit is bad news for their careers

75% 16 to 34-year-olds said that they were at least somewhat concerned about the effects that Britain’s impending exit from the EU

87% of 16 to 34-year-olds are worried about the effect that Brexit will have on the UK job market, with many being put off the idea of applying for new roles in the near future, according to a new report from talent solutions agency, Hudson.

In a survey by Hudson of over 1000 UK professionals, 75% said that they were at least somewhat concerned about the effects that Britain’s impending exit from the EU would have on the UK job market, with 29% saying they were very or extremely concerned. These fears were most profound amongst workers under 35 (the majority of whom voted to remain in the EU), with 87% feeling concerned and just over a third (34%) very or extremely concerned about their future job prospects.

Another statistic likely to worry recruiters and hiring managers looking to source fresh talent is that 62% of all workers surveyed admitted they would feel nervous about the idea of finding a new job within the next six months, with a third of them (22%) saying they would be very or extremely nervous at the thought of job hunting in the next two quarters. Again, younger workers were more fearful than the average, with over three quarters (78%) feeling nervous, and 30% very or extremely nervous about moving to a new role, thanks to the uncertainties of Brexit. This suggests that younger workers are more likely to hang on in current roles rather than looking for new opportunities, especially in sectors most at risk from the unknowns of Brexit.

The fears weren’t just based on short-term views of the future either. Fully half of the 18 to 34-year-old workers surveyed felt the impact of Brexit meant it was going to be harder for them to achieve their long-term career goals, compared to just over a third (36%) of respondents overall.

Commenting on the report, Peter Istead, Hudson’s Managing Director for UK and Ireland, suggested that the results were a wake-up call for employers and the UK government. He warned that with up to a third of UK workers likely to retire in the next ten years, it was vital that younger workers’ doubts and worries around their future careers were listened to and addressed. He added that other Hudson research had shown this comes on top of 85% of younger workers already feeling worried about the increased use of Artificial Intelligence reducing the number of jobs in the future. He called on employers, and potentially ministers, to act decisively in reassuring the young about their career prospects within Britain once it leaves the EU.

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