Keeping on top of the rapidly evolving UK landscape
I started working at the British Red Cross in August 2022. As I’m writing this, it’s only November; I’ve been here for three months. This feels like a short time yet since I’ve been here, so much has happened in the UK.
There have been three UK Prime Ministers; Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II died and a new monarch, King Charles III, was crowned; inflation is at a 41-year high; the worth of the pound hit record lows against the US dollar; we are facing a cost-of-living crisis and the biggest fall in living standards since the 1950s. I could go on, but it would paint pretty bleak picture.
With so much happening, it’s easy to get lost in all this information, especially when my job requires me to be up to date on what’s going on in the world and how that might affect people in crisis across the UK. That’s why my team and I are sharing our ongoing PESTLE analysis.
PESTLE stands for Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental. Doing a PESTLE analysis requires looking at these key external factors that can influence an organisation to help better guide and plan for strategic decision-making. To better understand what a PESTLE analysis is, how to conduct one, and the benefits of this are for strategic decision-making, check out this article. Having our PESTLE analysis on a Miro board allows this to be a collaborative, interactive experience to contribute to and explore.
Every week, with the help of my team, I keep up to date with the latest news and add anything that could possibly affect humanitarian organisations and the people we support. For example, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s proposed increased budget cuts will likely put increased pressure on an already financially squeezed NHS: a social issue. This could lead to further backlogs, fewer in-person consultations, and growing staff turnovers, all of which could put increased reliance on our own health and crisis support.
Having a cohesive, shared document where we can contribute to and explore the ever-evolving UK landscape is so important for all aspects of our work. It means we are more attuned to what’s going on in the UK at any given moment, and can therefore deliver quicker responses to requests for insight we get from across the organisation.
In such a fast-paced time politically and socially in the UK, our PESTLE Miro board has been a lifeline for me. It’s allowed me to be more efficient and confident in my job because I’m consistently attuned to what’s going on. It’s also been a fun project, allowing me to flex my creative and research muscles and showcase this, often, heavy news in a (hopefully!) dynamic light.
Our PESTLE analysis is publicly available on a Miro board. For any further questions or feedback about our PESTLE Miro board, or any insight and data requests, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me (Cat Reid) or the Head of Strategic Insight & Foresight, Matt Thomas.
