More than a third of business owners and entrepreneurs in the UK feel that leaving the EU would have a detrimental impact to the UK in terms of its appeal to prospective employees.
Research by Sage showed almost half (48%) of UK business owners responded that they do not have enough information to make a decision about how to vote in the referendum, despite 86% saying they follow budget announcements for any changes which might be relevant to their business. Fifty-six per cent confirmed that it’s the facts that will have the biggest impact on their choice in the ballot box.
Almost a third (30%) of respondents say they’re undecided on whether they’ll vote to stay or remain in the EU, and over half (56%) say it’s the facts that will have the biggest impact on their decision. 38% confirm they want to stay in the European Union, with 31% feeling Britain would be better off out. However, 17% of those surveyed say they’ll place their vote based on gut instinct.
When asked whether respondents thought that Brexit would make the UK more or less attractive as a place to work, 37% said the UK would be less attractive with 15% answering that it would make the UK more attractive, and 48% saying that it would make no difference if the country votes to leave.
Brendan Flattery, president of Sage Europe, said: “This survey demonstrates real concern among business owners with regards to the impact of the referendum result on the UK’s ability to attract talent.
“Small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of the UK economy, and if they can’t hire the right talent, that has substantial implications for the country.”
With public opinion polls indicating that both sides are neck-and-neck in their race toward the referendum and with less than two weeks left to go to sway the vote, Sage calls for campaigners to start talking about facts rather than fiction.
“Campaigners still aren’t delivering the right information that Small & Medium Business owners need to make a decision. With less than a month to go before polling day, both camps need to start focusing on the things that matter rather than engaging in scaremongering tactics”, added Flattery.
