5 things that must happen to get the UK economy movingPosted over 3 years ago by Nick Boulton

Twelve months from now, the world is going to be a very different place.

• Will we have a viable vaccine for COVID-19?
• Will unemployment hit record heights?
• What will inflation levels hit?

No one really knows the answer to any of these questions, but we know they will all have an impact on ourselves, our families and our businesses.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a greater impact on activity in the first half of 2020 than expected, and the recovery is projected to be more gradual than previously forecast.

So here are five things I think should happen over the next year, some hopefully will help boost the recruitment market and allow it - and other industries - to flourish.

• Massive investment in healthcare

All countries, including those that have seemingly passed peaks in infections, should ensure that their healthcare systems are adequately resourced,  that equipment is state of the art and provide investment and scholarships for the next generation of healthcare workers. There also needs to be a channelling of funds for vaccine production as trials advance, so that affordable doses are quickly available.

• Getting people back to work

When and how will the Government get everyone back to work? The sooner they make this happen, the better businesses will be - and our economy as a whole. The longer they take to make this happen, the more riddled with debt we will be and it will be the next generation who will have to bear a huge chunk of the financial burden of COVID.

• Ratifying a new relationship with the European Union

What type of agreement will the UK have with Europe? The post-Brexit debacle has slightly gone under the radar in recent months, for obvious reasons, but the sham that has been the negotiating process, will soon need to get their skates on and start getting their rusty old gears into action. Clarity and direction is what we need here to help businesses prosper, I think the European technology scene will be a huge opportunity for recruitment companies, and one I want Client Server to be leading.

• Enshrining diversity in the workplace

I think – and hope – there will be a big shift in diversity in the workplace. With many businesses now being forced to operate remotely, long-term flexibility could be here to stay, allowing more women to remain in the workforce while balancing home and work life. This change in workplace structure could have a hugely positive impact on retaining female talent.

• That the tech industry future-proofs itself

As global markets continue to react violently to COVID uncertainty, technology firms have weathered the storm reasonably well… so far. The coronavirus has presented opportunities for technology businesses, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs a like. All industries have subsequently invested heavily in technology to improve their resilience and security, providing plenty of opportunity. The technology sector has also largely performed better than most other industries over the past four months, and I think will only continue to grow and thrive over the next year.

If there’s one bright spot to how the pandemic will impact the future of work, it’s that it could strengthen the personal relationships we form with colleagues. For a long time, we’ve probably taken for granted the ability to see our co-workers every day and maybe didn’t realize how valuable that was. I think teams will be a lot closer when they’re able to move back into the workplace and be more productive because of it.