Editors Comment
Labour pressures and policy shifts cloud optimism

For a few days in May, the UK’s glazing and fenestration industry convened at the NEC in Birmingham for the FIT Show – a rare national moment of cohesion in a fragmented market. More than just a showcase for new products, the exhibition provided a timely pulse check for a sector still adjusting to post-pandemic realities and grappling with a tightening labour market and shifting regulatory landscape.
Exhibitors and attendees alike reported the event as a valuable platform for reconnecting with suppliers, identifying new opportunities, and gauging broader market sentiment. For many, the show underscored cautious optimism: though inquiry volumes have dipped, conversion rates are up, suggesting that the speculative “tyre-kickers” of previous years have largely receded. Conversations at the event pointed to a market that is not in decline, but in correction – returning to a more sustainable rhythm following the volatility of the Covid period.
The premium end of the retail market, in particular, appears to be holding firm. High-end consumer demand continues to support innovation in product design and presentation. One retailer noted a resurgence in showroom openings across the country, aided in part by the availability of high street premises at reduced rents. This trend signals a renewed investment in face-to-face retail and a belief in the continued value of physical spaces in driving sales.
Yet behind the product launches and polished displays, deeper structural challenges loom – foremost among them, labour shortages and the growing burden of employment costs.
Many firms are already feeling the strain of recent increases to National Insurance, which have forced a recalibration of workforce plans. These pressures are set to intensify under forthcoming changes to employment law. The proposed Employment Rights Bill, currently making its way through Parliament, will grant workers the right to statutory sick pay from the first day of illness, rather than the fourth. For employers operating with leaner teams, this change has raised fears of increased absenteeism and further strain on already stretched operations.
“We’ve cut numbers on the factory floor due to the NI rise,” said one trade fabricator. “With a thinner workforce, the last thing we need is staff calling in sick when they could be working – especially if they know they’ll get paid from day one.”
Further complicating the employment landscape is the government’s recently announced White Paper, ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration System’, which introduces a range of reforms to the Skilled Worker visa scheme. Among the most consequential is the elevation of the minimum qualification threshold from RQF Level 3 (A-level equivalent) to Level 6 (graduate level), effectively disqualifying many roles central to the construction and manufacturing sectors – including fitters, installers and factory operatives – from future eligibility.
While transitional provisions will allow current visa holders to extend their stay, the new rules shut the door on fresh overseas applicants in these roles. Employers also face a 32% increase in the Immigration Skills Charge, further raising the cost of hiring foreign workers.
For an industry heavily reliant on migrant labour – particularly in delivering large-scale housing and retrofitting projects – the implications are stark. The government’s stated aim is to develop domestic talent and reduce long-term reliance on foreign workers. But in the near term, the reforms risk exacerbating existing workforce shortages and adding friction to critical construction timelines.
With the government targeting 1.5 million new homes over five years, the timing is difficult. Whether the domestic workforce can be mobilised at sufficient scale and pace remains uncertain – particularly in an industry that has historically struggled to attract younger entrants. As one attendee at the FIT Show put it: “The challenge is being handed back to us – we need to find a way to make this industry attractive to home-grown talent. But it’s hard to see how we do that quickly enough.”
The policy rationale may be clear, but the practical consequences are far from settled. What is increasingly evident is that businesses in the sector must now adapt to a labour market being reshaped by political decisions as much as by economic forces. In a sector where the willingness to work has always trumped where a worker comes from, the test ahead lies in whether ambition, training, and recruitment can align to fill the growing gap left behind.
John Cowie – Editor
E: john.cowie@windowsactive.co.uk