Senior decision-makers across UK businesses say their roles have become markedly more complex since 2020, with new technology, cyber risk, and economic uncertainty cited as the most common drivers.
The findings come from research commissioned by Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS), which asked Censuswide to survey 500 managers, directors, and C-suite executives working in UK businesses. Almost three quarters (73%) of respondents said their role had become more complex over the past five years.
When asked what had made leadership work harder, 31% pointed to the emergence of new technologies, including artificial intelligence. A further 28% cited increased cybersecurity and data privacy risks, while 27% selected the performance of the UK economy, and 27% pointed to new regulation and legislation.
Several people-management pressures also featured strongly. A quarter (25%) said expectations around diversity, equity, and inclusion had contributed to increased complexity. The same proportion (25%) cited the rise of remote working, while 21% pointed to employees’ pay demands.
Stuart Wells, Managing Director of Executive Education at Alliance Manchester Business School, said: “Over recent years, significant new pressures have been placed on business leaders, and evidently this has translated into the vast majority feeling as though their roles have become far more complex.
“If you look at the different factors contributing to this increased complexity, you quickly appreciate just how much the business world has been transformed since 2020. The rise of remote working since Covid, the proliferation of AI tools, scrutiny over DEI, cyber threats and data privacy, and turbulence within the broader economic climate — senior decision-makers are needing to navigate all these changes as they lead their teams and perform in their roles, and that is hugely challenging.
“Regardless of experience or competence, it’s clear that many senior managers require greater support. From peer-to-peer learning to formal training, it is imperative that organisations consider which issues are impacting their leadership team and take action to ensure individuals are suitably equipped to lead effectively in this rapidly changing business world.”
The results land as UK organisations continue to grapple with the operational reality of rapid technology adoption — particularly where AI tools intersect with governance, data handling, and accountability. Cybersecurity risk remains a parallel pressure point, with the threat environment described by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre as dynamic and increasingly complex, including the way AI is influencing criminal capability and scale.
For employers, the survey underlines a widening remit for senior leaders: adopting new tools, meeting shifting workforce expectations, maintaining compliance, and protecting data, often simultaneously. The findings suggest organisations may need to rethink how they equip executives — from peer learning to targeted executive education — as the mix of strategic, technological, and people risks continues to evolve.
