UK businesses lose billions due to migrating workers
1st July 2008
UK business forced into spending billions to replace migrating workers driven away by bad weather
Summer 2007’s poor weather, coupled with economic instability and fears over security, drove workers away and cost UK business billions in productivity according to relocations firm, Bishop’s Move. Recent research from the Office for National Statistics reveals that 600 people a day are moving overseas. With over 70 per cent of these coming from the UK workforce, British business is footing a bill of over £1 billion annually to counter the effects of an outbound talent flow.
According to research , it costs a business an average of £7,000 each time a member of staff leaves. The cost of phasing out the outgoing staff member, interviewing and hiring new staff, redesigning the office layout to accommodate them, ordering new stationary and induction training has all added up to make 2007 to remember for UK business - for the wrong reasons. Bishop’s Move, the largest privately owned removals firm in the UK, has already relocated over 1,500 workers abroad this year. It estimates that its business customers alone have already footed a bill exceeding £12 million in re-staffing its workforce this year.
In the second quarter of 2007, deep sea enquiries for Bishop’s Move – those involving transport by air or ship – were up an incredible 24% over those in the first quarter, and bookings for July to September were more than 75% higher than the previous two quarters combined. Year-on-year to date, overseas moves are so far 12% higher than for the same period in 2006. The branch has so far moved over 1,500 families or individuals abroad in 2007, and by the end of the year expects to have travelled over 12 million miles for its customers.
Nigel Bishop, Managing Director of Bishop’s Move, comments: “The financial implications of workers leaving to relocate abroad on a business can be huge. The number of people seeking a new life in warmer climes is increasing, and is reflected in the number of enquiries we have had this year. Unfortunately even the most dynamic business leader can’t control the weather.
“However, if someone is determined to move on, management can minimise the impact on the business’s bottom line by working with that individual to implement a phased withdrawal. Our trained business relocation advisors are also on hand to advise on the best course of action for both parties.”
The favourite location for migrating UK workers is Australia, where the lure of an agreeable climate, lack of a language barrier and relaxed immigration laws has driven over 40% those leaving the country. France and Spain come a close second and third respectively, with ‘emerging’ destinations such as the Balkans and southern Mediterranean gradually growing in popularity.
Bishop’s Move specialises in business and corporate relocations for individuals and for whole companies. Its business relocation services include corporate and employee relocation, office to office moves, storage and distribution services, porterage hire, crate hire and professional move management and churn services. All its business relocation services can be tailored into bespoke removals solutions to suit a company's individual business relocation requirements.
