Instinctif Partners Change Index

Research shows business leaders and UK public at odds on key topics such as the economy and Britain’s role in the world

LONDON, 16 OCTOBER 2024: Instinctif Partners today launches the Change Index, a major new piece of research aimed at understanding the way ‘change’ is perceived and embraced by business leaders as well as members of the public.

The research findings reveal a significant disparity between how UK business leaders and the general public view the future:

• On the economy, 47% of senior business leaders believe that the British economy is stable, but only 15% of the public agree. The contrast of feeling is also demonstrated across different age demographics with a third (33%) of 18–24-year-olds having confidence in the economy, compared to just 7% of those aged 55-64.
• On adaptability, just a third (34%) of the UK public feel that they have the resources, or the right people around them, to be able to remodel for unexpected change.
• On politics, and following immense change with the landslide change in government, 30% of the UK public now have confidence in the current UK government, far below 56% of senior executives that expressed confidence in the government. There is a clear sense, as shown by the size of Labour’s majority, that the UK is not only ready for significant change but that it is in a position to embrace it. But any significant change comes hand in hand with a number of uncertainties that may be challenging along the way.

The research, which centered around four key pillars: uncertainty, risk, resilience and optimism, aims to provide ongoing insights for brands, businesses and individuals to understand how well placed our societies are to navigate a constantly changing landscape. Moreover across age groups, views continue be as divisive. 44% of 18-34-year-olds have confidence, compared to just 21% of those aged 65+. While men were also found to be more confident than women (36% vs 24%).

 Other key findings from the Change Index include:

• Pace of economic change: 68% of UK business leaders expressed concern at the pace of economic change and our ability to respond to changes in a productive way. 
• Business performance: 51% of Key Decision Makers can picture what their business performance will look like in two years’ time, with only 2% disagreeing, indicating overall confidence in business outlook.
• On financial performance: 56% of Key Decision Makers expect the financial performance of their business to remain steady over the next two years, with only 4% disagreeing, suggesting cautious optimism about financial stability.
• Britain’s role in the world: 61% of senior business leaders believe that Britain has a significant global influence, compared to just 37% of the British public. Younger people (25-34) are more likely to believe Britain has a significant global influence (58%), while only 23% of those aged 55-64 felt the same.
• On quality of life: 68% of 18–24-year-olds are satisfied with their quality of life, compared to 41% of those aged 45-54, challenging assumptions that young people have a more negative outlook. A further quarter (28%) of the UK public are optimistic that this will improve within the next two years.
• Priorities for a good life: Personal finances (88%) and health (83%) are the most critical factors impacting quality of life across the UK public. Finances are especially important for people aged 55-64 (96%), while health is more significant for those aged 65+ (91%). 

Want to find out more? Visit the Change Index page