Calling all Architects – How is Brexit affecting you?

On 29^th March, Prime Minister Theresa May triggered Article 50. By the end of March 2019, the UK will have officially left the EU.

Many of the implications of the UK leaving the EU are still yet to be revealed, and are dependent on the outcome of several long and complex deals, which will be thrashed out over the course of the next 2 years.

One that seems quite clear however is that the free movement of EU workers will go out of the window once we leave the EU’s single market.

To what extent, we still don’t know but this particular factor has a resounding effect on thousands of companies both within the UK and the rest of the continent. Theresa May has suggested free movement of people from the EU to the UK could continue for a period of time after Brexit, allowing businesses and governments time to adjust to new restrictions, but ultimately, Brexit will give the UK greater control over its borders and likely lead to tighter immigration policies.

One industry is already experiencing the effects of the EU referendum result – Architecture. With almost half of the architect workforce in London coming from overseas, the industry is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Uncertainty means project delays and cancellations of work are already creeping in, which ultimately means less employees are required. However, with so much of the workforce made up of individuals from overseas, holding onto existing employees may also be difficult, as new restrictions may result in some employees having to leave.

The president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, called on the UK government to act swiftly to address the issues facing the industry.

In the meantime, some companies have closed their London offices or reduced staff numbers to try and mitigate risk and combat lower workloads. However, over the course of the next few years, these companies may lose employees due to new restrictions and have to hire new people, or increase the size of their workforce again if workloads pick up.

And of course, every employee needs a desk, a PC, a phone, connectivity, the list goes on. These things aren’t free!

Flexibility is the key to ensuring minimal damage to your businesses success at times like this. That’s where we come in – how would you like a fully flexible and scalable IT infrastructure, where you can up or down size your workforce and your infrastructure at the same time?

Fitzrovia IT can provide just that. We’ll put in place solutions and provide support that will ensure your practice is responsive, flexible and scalable – so you can focus on what your business is really about.

> Learn more about IT support for architects HERE

* https://www.dezeen.com/2017/01/30/overseas-architects-apply-uk-citizenship-brexit-looms/