The simple answer is: Not Much so far…
On the 24 December 2020, the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom finally agreed a post-Brexit trade agreement, the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), which came into effect on 1 January 2021.
In the years following the 2016 Brexit referendum, the construction industry has had to grapple with a number of challenges. In addition to Brexit, the fallout from the collapse of Carillion, skills shortages, and ongoing challenges imposed by COVID-19 are just a few examples.
With large quantities of building materials imported and exported from the EU, undoubtedly there will be additional costs from duties, or the possibility that there might be limits on quantities of goods imported into the UK. Royal Clean use cleaning chemicals manufactured in the UK so have not yet felt much impact on this front. But with possible delays of imported raw materials from Europe and China, this may well change in the near future.
The restrictions on the freedom of movement of people will undoubtedly be felt widely across the construction industry, especially in London and the South-East. With the UK already suffering from skills shortages and around 37% of London’s construction workforce coming from EU countries, project costs could be driven up, if the demand for labour outstrips supply.
Royal Clean has always had a low turnover of staff and so lessens our need to recruit new staff. We also ensure our supervisors and operatives are regularly trained and enjoy working for Royal Clean. But certainly the pressure on some of our competitors to recruit may mean that retaining good staff is as important as it ever has been.
We may not see much effects from Brexit so far, but we may start seeing changes later in 2021.