Resilience divide: new research reveals the UK’s resilience levels lags behind the US and Australia

Nov 05, 24

Regulated industries face a looming resilience crisis, according to new research, as 45% of people working in high-compliance companies say they’re seeing colleagues quit their jobs to go and work in completely different sectors.

The 2024 Resilience nation report, commissioned by regulatory and compliance software leader Ideagen, gathered insights from over 4,000 individuals in the US, UK and Australia working in critical industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, aviation and financial services. The results explore the major threats and macroeconomic factors affecting people today, providing perspectives on resilience across global landscapes.

The "big squeeze"

Growing external pressures are infiltrating everyday work life, with the current economic climate negatively affecting employees worldwide. The top cited trends impacting workplace performance include the cost of living (36%), inflation rates (34%) and supply chain challenges (27%).

Respondents across nations are facing a "big squeeze" at work, being asked to deliver more despite having a diminished capability to do so. The research highlights a global workforce under strain affecting productivity, with 57% of respondents reporting increased workload and job scope, and around half mentioning they are working longer hours. The study also revealed growing job dissatisfaction, particularly in the UK (54%) and Australia (52%), compared to the US (43%).

In addition, a significant portion of workers are engaging in "quiet quitting", where they perform only the minimum job requirements, avoiding extra tasks or responsibilities. This trend is most evident in the US (44%), followed by the UK (39%) and Australia (38%).

Ben Dorks, CEO of Ideagen, commented on the findings: "Workers are facing growing pressures in and out of the workplace. People are being asked to deliver more at work when their resilience is being challenged by economic and political headwinds. Ultimately, this is having a determinantal impact on business productivity, workplace health and safety and the quality of work produced, as well as further reducing the resilience of the nation at large.

"People are optimistic that emerging tech and AI will ultimately lighten the load – but they’re not yet feeling the benefits. It’s a gap that now, more than ever, businesses must look to close and support their workforce to ensure their staff remain safe and compliance needs are met across the business."

Resilience in regulated industries

The comparative study showed some green shoots of resilience. In the US, 92% of respondents in the pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors reported increased resilience compared to last year, with the country also seeing the biggest proportions of resilience in the aviation and energy sectors.

In Australia, half of construction workers reported no increase in personal resilience in the same period, contrasting with other regions where most saw improvements. The 'industry' sector, including manufacturing and logistics, was notably less resilient across the board, with 20% of Australian respondents indicating feeling this way.

The UK healthcare sector reported a four percentage point drop in personal resilience compared to the global average, while the nation’s aviation industry also bucked the sector trend, with twice the average number of respondents feeling less resilient than the previous year.

A workforce ready for change

The increased workload, longer working hours and global cost-of-living crisis have unsurprisingly led to a diminished sense of personal resilience. All of this has been exacerbated by an anticipated technological revolution that has simply not yet arrived.

Most respondents surveyed see technology as having the potential to help alleviate workplace pressures, despite not currently feeling the benefits. US employees demonstrated the highest level of optimism regarding the benefits of technology in the workplace, with 56% recognizing its advantages. They also led in believing that technology will increase efficiency (30%) and collaboration (25%) compared to the other nations.

Over half (53%) of Australian workers also place a healthy sense of trust in technological innovations reducing workplace stressors, increasing productivity and streamlining everyday tasks.

AI was highlighted as a key area for future growth, with 26% of US workers suggesting businesses should boost investment in this field. This sentiment is echoed in Australia (23%) and the UK (20%), indicating a growing global appetite for change.

Geographical differences

The research also revealed that Brits are increasingly losing faith in their country's ability to adapt to unforeseen global events. Only 66% of UK respondents express confidence in their nation's resilience, falling behind their international peers with Australia at 81% and the US at 78%.

UK confidence levels have been affected by ongoing economic pressures which are impacting individuals’ personal resilience levels, with the cost-of-living crisis (54%), energy prices (43%) and rising property costs (24%), cited by Brits as having the most influence.

To read the full report, download your copy here.