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The results of a Springwise survey, presented at a recent webinar, underscore the importance of innovation and a strong desire to make significant, and positive, organisational changes.
The “Great Lockdown” has led to unprecedented change on a global scale and at a dizzying pace. To find out how business leaders and innovators are dealing with this new level of disruption, Springwise reached out to its global innovation community, supported by its sister organisation, the boutique consultancy firm Re_Set.
The results are in, and those who participated in “The Great Reset” survey were given an exclusive first look at the key takeaways resulting from the findings, as analysed by Springwise and Re_Set.
A June 9th webinar hosted by James Bidwell, Chair of Springwise and co-founder of Re_Set, and Kevin Barrett, Managing Partner of Re_Set, revealed that, for the most part, innovators and their organisations are keenly aware of this moment’s weight — recognising the importance of innovation and the ability to embrace major change as ways forward.
“These results demonstrate a real shift in mindset amongst the global Springwise community we spoke to. People are reflecting and plan to change their priorities, to reset the way they live and work. The most encouraging statistic for me is that over 70 per cent plan to change their individual and family behaviours to address the climate crisis. There is certainly momentum behind ‘The Great Reset’….to make the world a better place.” commented James Bidwell.
The pool of respondents consisted of 374 industry leaders and entrepreneurs, from over 40 countries and 260 different companies.
No Turning Back
Among the survey’s key findings, 79 per cent agreed that their organisation has never experienced such disruption as they are facing now, and 16 per cent went as far as saying that most companies in their industry are fighting for survival.
Regarding which sectors are up against the highest levels of disruption, the survey found that healthcare, education, retail and marketing/communications topped the list.
“Shopping, travelling, working, living — everything will be different,” an anonymous respondent commented.
Across all sectors, 57 per cent believe their industries will never be the same again, as opposed to 10 per cent who think their industry will remain largely unchanged.
The Innovation Imperative
Many business leaders appear to see this moment as an opportunity to embrace what some have dubbed “The Great Reset,” with innovation driving potential pivots. But fewer are clear on how to go about transforming their organisations.
The crisis has made them realise the importance of innovation in their business, with 82 per cent saying so, and 78 per cent believing that this could be an extraordinary opportunity – if approached correctly.
Another 36 per cent admitted that they know their organisation has to reset but are not sure how, though a majority of the respondents — 63 per cent – are actively working on a transformation, compared to 20 per cent who are not.
“I am in a fog. I cannot think rationally,” was how one respondent put it.
The Climate Crisis and Societal Impact
A clear majority of the respondents believe sustainability remains of vital importance, if not more so than before the pandemic – 63 per cent believe their organisation should use the crisis as an opportunity to tackle the climate emergency.
An even larger number — 70 per cent of respondents — intend to make permanent behavioural changes to improve their response to the climate emergency.
“COVID shows how vulnerable we are as a global society and how nature always wins,” one respondent said.
Similarly, a significant majority say they are more aware of the importance of community as a result of the COVID crisis – 88 per cent – while 75 per cent believe their organisation needs to focus more on its community and societal impact.
Kevin Barrett commented: “The Re_Set mission to help organisations thrive in a disrupted world has never been more relevant, and these results show us there is not only a great opportunity to thrive but also much work to be done”
Re_Set is a London-based boutique strategy consultancy for innovation and disruption whose mission is to ensure its clients thrive in a disrupted world. Re_Set specialise in understanding what’s next, and how to make change happen at pace, with positive, sustainable impact. Springwise and Re_Set are proud members of 1% for the Planet and BCorp pending.
