At the end of 2021, techUK conducted our annual member survey. This survey provides us with insights on how we can best provide value to our diverse membership and a snapshot of what you are focused on to ensure we align to your priorities in our actions.
Committed to innovation, the customer, skills and climate action
We asked our members what they were focused on in 2022. Innovation was spotlighted across the membership as a key priority for their businesses. This is a foundational part of our work in our tech and innovation programme with our most recent campaigns focused on quantum and intelligent automation. Find out more on our Emerging Tech Hub.
Our SME member respondents showed a slightly higher focus on customer acquisition than innovation (which was top for the majority of members). We have several SME-specific initiatives focused on this including a pilot for a new mentoring programme and upcoming events including a monthly SME Online Forum and SME Networking Sessions. Visit the SME Connect hub for all the latest updates on events, insights and opportunities for SME members.
Skills and reskilling remain a resolute focus for all our members as we come out of the pandemic but our survey found growing interest in climate and sustainability in 2022 and beyond. Climate action is now a major priority for businesses and consumers alike and tech can play a key role. Our Climate Action Hub contains the latest news and resources to support tech companies on their own net zero journey as well as information for those looking to use tech to underpin their decarbonisation ambitions.
Raising your profile in 2022
As the trade association for tech, we were not surprised to see that the most important benefits to many of our members were raising their profile with customers, peers and partners, and policy makers (in that order of preference).
With a full events programme covering a variety of topics from market engagement with public sector to showcasing innovative tech applications to roundtables with key policymakers, much of our work focuses on building valuable, productive relationships for our members. Other ways to help raise the profile of your business include our marketing and sponsorship opportunities – members can sponsor a flagship event, submit a guest blog, appear on a podcast or take part in one of our campaign weeks.
Facilitating collaboration and providing business services
There is an appetite to reconnect and collaborate further in 2022.
Our 2021 survey found that while our members are keen to attend events, we must consider the format and be flexible to holding hybrid, online and in-person events (with 55% of respondents planning to attend events in-person and 44% online).
As we move out of the COVID-19 pandemic, what is your preferred way to attend our events?
We also found that our most valued services include our meeting facilities and hot-desking in our London offices showing a further preference to meet face-to-face again. Business services in the form of legal and HR support were also popular with members, particularly from our SME membership during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Value from membership
With much change still ongoing in 2021, we were pleased to see 95% of all respondents were either ‘satisfied’ or ‘highly satisfied’ with the value that they receive from their techUK membership.
This is an encouraging result, but we appreciate all feedback on how we could improve our offering and better support members. If you have any queries, suggestions or feedback, please do get in touch with our membership team on membership@techUK.org.
The techUK Annual Member Survey was conducted from October to December 2021. It had 292 respondents from 282 techUK member companies including 111 SME members. This is an overview of responses from the broader survey. If you wish to receive the full copy, please contact marketing@techUK.org.