Business Brains: 47% of Brits shun salary, job title and status as indicators of succes
In a challenging time for UK business, Sages State of the Nation research and business brains campaign raises the question of just how Brits will judge their success in business in 2009.
Newcastle, UK, 22nd January 2009: Sage (UK) Limited, the business software and services provider, today released its State of the Nation survey results, which showed that almost half (47%) of surveyed respondents do not consider salary, job title or status as indicators of their success in the workplace. The survey was carried out as part of Sages national Business Brains campaign, which aims to identify, explore and celebrate the qualities that make people in business more likely to succeed.
The survey reveals that the quality most people want to improve to make them more successful in business is their mental agility. According to the results, almost one fifth (18%) of respondents stated that improving their mental agility would make them more successful. Only 14 per cent stated that this is currently their strongest quality. Conducted by You Gov, the research indicated that 2008 was the year of Static Britain, with 64% people not taking up a new hobby in the last year. In contrast, 2009 promises to be the year of achievement, with more than three quarters (77%) of Brits identifying qualities they want to proactively improve to make them more successful in business.
What were trying to achieve by launching the Business Brains campaign is to identify what people judge as success in business and provide them with the support to build the skills they need to reach their own personal success, explained Paul Stobart, Managing Director, Sage UK and Ireland. In addition to the findings from our nationwide survey, the people weve met through our partnership with the Krypton Factor on ITV1 and the thousands of people whove joined our trainyourbusinessbrain.com website, weve unveiled some surprising insights and had a glimpse of the actual attributes and mechanisms that enable success in business. Effective and inspirational leadership, foresight, confidence and having the awareness, acumen and capability to identify opportunities and respond quickly to take advantage of them are the sorts of traits that separate the great from the good in business.
The research also showed that Sir Richard Branson was perceived as the UKs most successful business person with 57% of the votes followed by Sir Alan Sugar (10%).
As part of the Business Brains campaign, Sage UK has launched http://www.trainyourbusinessbrain.com/, which hosts brain training games, video blogs featuring inspirational businesspeople and tips where people can learn more about the campaign and participate in challenges that will help develop their business qualities further. For more information on Sages Business Brains Campaign, please see http://www.trainyourbusinessbrain.com.
YouGov questioned 1,973 representative people aged 18+ nation-wide on behalf of Sage online between 7th 10th November 2008.
For further information please visit http://www.sage.co.uk/press_office.aspx