Brits feel businesses ‘out of touch’

A recent survey suggests a majority of the British public believe companies are ‘out of touch’ and should focus on their employees and customers rather than wider social issues.

The research conducted by advisory firms Hanbury Strategy and Stack Data Strategy found that most Brits feel businesses do not understand or reflect their priorities. In total, when asked about issues British companies choose to focus on, 56% of respondents agreed businesses were ‘out of touch’ with what matters to British people.

Specifically in relation to environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, just over a quarter of respondents agreed that they should be a priority for businesses. However, a larger proportion (30%) felt focusing on such issues was a distraction from an organisation’s core business purposes, while more than four in ten said firms should prioritise their employees and customers over addressing ESG issues.

Furthermore, just three in ten respondents said they wanted company bosses to highlight social issues such as diversity or climate change when making public statements. In contrast, almost seven in ten felt bosses should focus on communicating how they can better treat employees or improve services for customers when making such statements.