UK Ranks in Global Top Five Countries to Do Business, Finds Total Workforce Index™

The Total Workforce Index™ (TWI) has ranked the UK in the top five labour markets worldwide, based on sourcing, hiring and retaining workforce skills. The global Talent Solutions survey utilises 200 factors to evaluate skills availability, cost efficiency, regulation, and productivity; combined with big data and expert analysis to assess the workforce engagement of 76 global markets. The annual TWI report finds that the United States, New Zealand and Canada are the most attractive markets for employer investment, followed by Ireland and the United Kingdom.

ManpowerGroup has spent decades developing strategies and tools that organisations can use face change, something needed now more than ever as organisations prepare for the new normal. The TWI provides the right combination of data and insight, which companies can leverage to ensure their workforce strategy is aligned to their business strategy now and in future.

For this year’s analysis, Talent Solutions took a deeper look at talent availability, comparing the percentage of remote-ready workforces in different markets and exploring the availability of cybersecurity resources. IT skills, particularly those that support remote work such as cybersecurity, continue to be in demand, along with an ongoing need for medical, operations and logistics and those roles deemed essential.

Jill Bassett, Brand Leader, Talent Solutions UK, commented: “As the UK prepares for life outside of the EU, it’s great to see that Britain has retained its top spot in the rankings. Remaining business-friendly and open will enable organisations to flourish and, ultimately, support job creation. We’ve proven through the pandemic that businesses can operate in a new way here in the UK, and the TWI’s unique combination of data and insights provides organisations with the information they need to make strategic decisions and deliver on their talent strategy. And, as we move into the new normal and see demand for varied skills soar now and into the future, the priority must be to continue creating the conditions for top talent to thrive in the UK.”

View the full Total Workforce Index™ 2020 report at https://www.manpowergroup.co.uk/the-word-on-work/total-workforce-index-2020/ for the full rankings on markets most favourable to conduct business.

REGIONAL RANKINGS

• EMEA – The top five ranked countries in the region are Ireland, the UK, Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark. Ireland and the UK rank favourably for business-friendly regulatory systems. Elsewhere, the Netherlands rank highly for workforce productivity, while Sweden and Denmark rank highly for workplace availability.
• APAC – Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan are the top markets in the APAC region. Singapore and Hong Kong rank highly for workforce productivity. The Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam rank highly for cost efficiency.
• AMERICAS -The United States and Canada claim the top two rankings in the Americas region due to workforce availability and productivity. Chile, Uruguay and Puerto Rico round out the top 5. The lowest ranked countries across the TWI globally are also in the Americas: Bolivia, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Only the U.S. and Canada rank in the global top 10 – at 1st and 3rd respectively.