Member Article

Over half of all London businesses intend to recruit this year but housing and transport worries persist

The latest London Business 1000 Survey by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and London Councils has found that a large proportion of the capital’s businesses are planning to recruit this year.

According to the survey, which polled 1,000 London businesses and business leaders, 54% of those polled said they were intending to recruit new staff in the new year.

However, the survey has also registered concerns amongst London’s business population that the ever increasing cost of transport and housing in the city is hampering their recruitment plans, and that more readily available homes and cheaper public transport would make their jobs easier.

Overall 48% identified housing and 45% identified transport as the top two priorities for making their recruitment efforts simpler and helping to plug their skills gaps.

Elsewhere, 27% also said they believed a loosening of immigration restrictions would be the primary way to ease their recruitment difficulties

Chief Executive of London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Colin Stanbridge said: “This survey provides a wealth of new data about the issues and topics affecting the capital’s business community, focusing on training, recruitment and retention.

“We hope it can provide policy makers with some useful insights so that our governments, at local and national level can make decisions which can make a real difference in areas that concern businesses the most.”

Cllr Peter John, Exec Member for business, skills and Brexit, London Councils said: “All London’s businesses play a crucial role in ensuring the success of the UK economy, particularly as we move towards Brexit.

“It is vital that boroughs support them as they take up this challenge, and to support them we must listen to them. This report – the first of three – shows us where the challenges lie; not only in the recruitment and retention of staff, but in overall business confidence, confusion over apprenticeships and concerns around infrastructure and housing.”