Recruiter SThree calls for government to 'get on with' Brexit process

Recruiter SThree has urged the Government to “get on with” arranging Britain’s departure from the European Union and restore certainty for employers.

Chief executive Gary Elden said SThree’s UK business, particularly its banking and finance arm, had been hit in the months running up to the referendum as firms held off hiring until the outcome was clear.

“[Employers] would see people and interview them but not necessarily pull the trigger,” Elden added.

It was too soon to determine the long-term impact of Brexit, he added, but a better idea of what it will entail would help UK firms. “We want a leader to a make a decision. Article 50... Just get on with it. We just want some certainty one way or the other,” he said.

But Elden insisted that SThree could handle the uncertainty both at home and in the US ahead of the presidential election as almost two-thirds of its profit comes from the more resilient contract market.

SThree’s adjusted operating profit rose 9% to £15.3 million in the six months to May 31. Both IT and continental Europe were strong performers.