Professions & Change: Where Marketers Rank in UK Workplace

The workplace landscape is constantly evolving, and different professions react to change in dramatically different ways. Understanding where various careers sit on the spectrum of change resistance versus adaptability can reveal crucial insights about workplace dynamics and business effectiveness.

Let’s explore which professions resist change the most, which embrace it readily, and which take the biggest risks – then examine where marketers fit in these rankings and what this means for UK businesses.

Professions Most Resistant to Change

Research reveals that certain professions consistently show higher levels of resistance to workplace change. A comprehensive study by Right Management found that 31% of British workers would rather stick with what they know than embrace change, with some sectors showing significantly higher resistance rates[1].

The data shows that public sector employees lead resistance to change, with 38% expressing fear about workplace changes compared to just 25% in the private sector[1]. This resistance often stems from established procedures, regulatory requirements, and risk-averse cultures that prioritise stability over innovation.

Professions Most Receptive to Change

On the opposite end of the spectrum, certain professions actively embrace change and adaptability as core competencies. These roles typically exist in dynamic environments where change is not just expected but necessary for survival.

Technology professionals top this list, with the sector experiencing rapid transformation that demands constant adaptation[2]. LinkedIn research indicates that adaptability and change management are among the top professional skills businesses seek when hiring, particularly in tech-driven industries[3].

Professions That Take the Biggest Risks

Risk-taking varies significantly across professions, with some careers built entirely around embracing uncertainty and potential failure. These roles often offer higher rewards but come with greater volatility and unpredictability.

Entrepreneurs face the highest level of risk, with most being “risk-takers by nature” who leave stable employment to pursue uncertain ventures[4]. Research shows that entrepreneurship carries multiple risks including bankruptcy, financial loss, and competitive challenges, yet these professionals willingly embrace such uncertainty for potential rewards.

Where Marketers Sit in These Rankings

Marketing professionals occupy a fascinating position across all three categories. In the adaptability rankings, marketers sit prominently as “change-focused” professionals, ranking second only to technology workers in their receptiveness to change[3]. This positioning reflects the nature of modern marketing, which requires constant adaptation to new technologies, consumer behaviours, and market dynamics.

However, marketers also appear in the risk-taking category, particularly those in performance-based roles or those working with startups and innovation-driven companies. The marketing profession increasingly demands what experts call “adaptive leadership” – the ability to navigate ambiguity and drive change within organisations[5].

Research from Heinz Marketing emphasises that “adaptability and change management are among the top professional skills businesses look for when hiring new employees this year”[3]. For marketers, this adaptability manifests in several ways: embracing new technologies like AI, pivoting strategies based on data insights, and constantly adjusting to evolving consumer expectations.

Relationship Issues in UK Businesses

This positioning of marketers as change agents can indeed create relationship tensions within UK businesses, particularly when working with more change-resistant departments. Several key relationship challenges emerge:

The Sales-Marketing Divide: Despite Marketing Week research showing that 49.7% of marketers consider sales their most important business relationship[6], fundamental tensions persist. Marketing teams often focus on innovation and long-term strategy while sales teams may prefer proven, short-term approaches. This creates friction when marketers introduce new tools, processes, or strategies that sales teams view as unnecessary disruption[7].

Cross-Functional Resistance: When marketers propose changes involving other departments – particularly those with higher change resistance like IT, finance, or operations – they often encounter significant pushback. A study on workplace conflict identifies “resistance to change” as one of the most common sources of organisational tension[8].

Executive Alignment Issues: While marketers may embrace rapid adaptation, senior leadership teams often include members from more change-resistant backgrounds. This can create strategic misalignment when marketers advocate for innovative approaches that contradict established business practices or require significant resource reallocation.

Resource and Priority Conflicts: Marketing’s change-focused nature often conflicts with departments that prioritise stability and cost control. Finance teams, in particular, may view marketing’s adaptability as unpredictability, leading to budget restrictions and approval delays for new initiatives[9].

What Marketers Can Do Differently

To improve their effectiveness and reduce relationship friction, marketers can adopt several strategic approaches that leverage their natural adaptability while addressing organisational resistance:

Develop Change Management Expertise: Rather than simply being change agents, marketers should become skilled change managers. This involves understanding the psychology of resistance, developing communication strategies that address concerns, and creating structured approaches to introducing new initiatives[10]. Research from Seer Interactive emphasises that successful marketing change requires “building a strong coalition of supporters” and engaging stakeholders early and often.

Build Cross-Functional Empathy: Marketers should invest time in understanding the priorities, constraints, and concerns of other departments. This means learning why finance prioritises cost control, why operations values predictability, and why sales focuses on immediate results. By demonstrating understanding of these perspectives, marketers can frame changes in ways that address these concerns rather than dismissing them[11].

Practice Strategic Patience: While maintaining their adaptive nature, marketers can improve relationships by balancing rapid execution with intentional communication. This involves taking time to explain the reasoning behind changes, providing data to support decisions, and allowing other departments time to adjust to new approaches[12].

Create Evidence-Based Cases for Change: Rather than relying solely on industry trends or best practices, marketers should develop robust business cases that demonstrate clear ROI and address specific organisational challenges. This approach helps overcome logical resistance by providing concrete justification for changes[13].

Implement Gradual Integration: Instead of introducing sweeping changes, marketers can implement new approaches gradually, allowing other departments to adapt incrementally. This reduces the shock of change while still driving innovation and improvement[14].

Strengthen Internal Communication: Marketers should apply their communication expertise internally, developing clear messaging about changes, their benefits, and their implementation. This includes regular updates, feedback sessions, and transparent discussion of challenges and successes[15].

The key insight for marketers is that their natural adaptability, while valuable, must be balanced with sensitivity to organisational dynamics and change resistance. By becoming not just change agents but change leaders who understand and address resistance, marketers can significantly improve their effectiveness and business relationships.

Success in this approach requires marketers to recognise that their comfort with change is not universal across their organisations. By developing skills in change management, building empathy for different departmental perspectives, and creating structured approaches to innovation implementation, marketers can transform their adaptability from a source of friction into a competitive advantage for their entire organisation.

References and Further Reading

[1] Resistance to change is holding the UK back, report suggests https://workplaceinsight.net/resistance-to-change-is-holding-the-uk-back-report-suggests/

[2] 2025: the year companies prepare to disrupt how work gets … https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/01/ai-2025-workplace/

[3] The Power of the Pivot: Why Adaptability is Essential for … https://www.heinzmarketing.com/blog/the-power-of-the-pivot-why-adaptability-is-essential-for-marketers/

[4] What Risks Does an Entrepreneur Face? https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/040615/what-risks-does-entrepreneur-face.asp

[5] Adaptive Leadership: Marketing Transformation in the Age … https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/adaptive-leadership-marketing-transformation-age-ai-emeric-leal

[6] Marketers twice as likely to favour relationship with sales … https://www.marketingweek.com/marketers-favour-relationship-sales/

[7] Repairing the fractured relationship between sales and … https://startupsmagazine.co.uk/article-repairing-fractured-relationship-between-sales-and-marketing

[8] 12 Workplace Conflict Examples & Their Resolutions https://pollackpeacebuilding.com/blog/4-examples-of-conflict-situations-in-the-workplace/

[9] The biggest B2B challenges for marketers https://embracemarketing.co.uk/the-biggest-b2b-challenges-for-marketers/

[10] How to use Change Management to Adapt Your Marketing … https://www.seerinteractive.com/insights/how-to-use-change-management-to-adapt-your-marketing-strategy

[11] Integrating Change Management Practices into Marketing … https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/integrating-change-management-practices-marketing-elena-lara-3wbte

[12] Systemic change takes patience, resilience and emotional … https://www.marketingweek.com/systemic-change-patience-resilience/

[13] Overcoming Resistance to Change: Proven Strategies … – Afiniti https://www.afiniti.co.uk/insights/resistance-to-change/

[14] It’s time for a better approach to change management in … https://martech.org/approaches-to-change-management-in-marketing/

[15] How Marketing Plays an Essential Role in Change … https://www.tradepressservices.com/change-management/

Kevin Harrington Partner

Kevin Harrington is a Partner at Exit Factor UK, helping SME owners increase business value & build a rewarding, well-planned exit. Former CMO at BBC Worldwide.

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