Reading the signs of the times: reflections from our latest client survey
by Ian McKenzie
In our recent client survey, we asked a new question.
Alongside asking clients about their experience of working with us, we also asked what they are noticing in the wider environment. What are the signs of the times affecting their organisations, their teams and the way they work?
For us, that mattered. Animate’s work has always been shaped by taking a systems perspective, which is to pay attention not just to individuals or teams in isolation, but to the wider pressures and patterns influencing organisational life. This question gave us a chance to step back and listen more carefully to what clients are seeing.
Some of what came back was familiar. Organisations are still being asked to do more with less. Funding uncertainty continues to bite. Teams are working under sustained pressure, often with fewer resources and increasing complexity.
But what stood out was the intensity of it.
These pressures are not new, but many clients described them as feeling sharper, heavier and more cumulative than before.
Clients spoke about the compounding effect of financial constraint, limited capacity, burnout, and the challenge of staying responsive in a fast-changing environment. It is not one issue on its own. It is the weight of several things happening at once, often over a long period of time.
One theme that came through strongly was the long shadow of Covid. Although public conversation has largely moved on, many organisations are still living with its effects. Ways of working have changed. Relationships at work have changed. For some people, flexibility has brought real benefits. For others, there has been a loss of connection, shared learning and the informal conversations that help people feel part of something together. Particularly in larger organisations, some are questioning whether increased flexibility for individuals is coming at the cost of accountability and responsibility.
That shift is still playing out in how organisations function today.
That matters because uncertainty changes how organisations behave. Under pressure, it becomes harder to prioritise collaboration, harder to make space for reflection, and harder to take risks. People can become more defensive. Horizons narrow. The focus shifts to immediate survival.
Another striking theme in this year’s responses was an increased concern about racism, gender hostility and a rejection of human rights approaches. This has not come through in this way before.
For some organisations, particularly those working in equalities, community building and public service, this is not a distant issue. It is shaping their day-to-day reality. Teams are spending more time supporting colleagues, managing risk, and holding difficult conversations. Work that is already complex is becoming more exposed and contested.
It also reflects a wider shift. As pressure increases, society is becoming more polarised, more defensive and less open to different perspectives. That inevitably finds its way into organisational life. For organisations whose purpose is rooted in equality, inclusion and human rights, this creates an additional layer of challenge.
So what does this mean for Animate?
It reinforces something we have long believed. When the pressure is on, the answer is not always to push harder or move faster. Often, the most useful thing is to create space to slow down, reflect and focus on what matters most.
That might mean helping a team revisit priorities, making room for more honest conversations, or supporting people to work through uncertainty recognising there are no easy answers. It means working with organisations as part of a wider system, not treating challenges as isolated problems to be fixed.
The survey has given us useful insight into the realities our clients are navigating. It is also shaping our thinking about the support we offer next, including how we share more of the tools and approaches that help organisations lead, adapt and work well together in complex times.
Because if these are the signs of the times, then making space to think, connect and respond well is not a luxury. It is part of what good organisational practice looks like now.
If you would like to find out more about our 2025 Client Survey, you can access the summary report here: https://www.animateconsulting.co.uk/news/our-client-survey-2025-results-are-out