UK businesses are struggling with reputation management following the pandemic, exposing a lack of in-house expertise.

Two-fifths (37%) of UK businesses lack expertise in reputation control, according to new data.

Of 500 UK business owners surveyed by Speakers’ Corner, the vast majority (98%) struggle with reputation control; ‘reputation management’ is now prioritised above staff training by 86% and above diversity by 87%. Speakers’ Corner managing director, Nick Gold, observes that this is even despite wellbeing and inclusion increasingly impacting reputation.  

A third of survey respondents have experienced negative media coverage, and 32% either investment withdrawal or a negative impact on profits. An absence of expertise in the area has made businesses more susceptible to the spread of bad news via social media.

“The data indicates a wide-spread adoption of reactive and ‘short-term’ thinking in UK leadership teams in a post pandemic Britain,” says Gold.