The Decision Economy
Decision-Making Speed Perception We asked mid‑tier leaders whether the speed of decision‑making in their business feels acceptable, or whether decisions are generally taken too slowly. DECISION DRAG IN THE MID-MARKET To better understand the impact of decision- making, we surveyed 601 senior leaders of UK mid-tier firms in March 2026 (in partnership Time to Reach a Decision We asked mid‑tier leaders how long it typically takes their business to reach a decision once a significant event occurs.
with Censuswide). The findings indicate that decision-making speed is a widespread concern, and delays have a tangible impact on business results.
Acceptable
Too slow
No time at all
Less than 2 weeks
Unsure
3%
Pace Pressure
Between 9-13 weeks
4%
Decision-making has become materially harder for mid-tier firms. In our survey, 73% of leaders said important decisions have become more difficult since mid-2024, due to policy uncertainty and ongoing economic volatility. This sentiment was strongest in manufacturing and construction (around four in five leaders saw rising difficulty) and less pronounced in technology. Larger mid-tier firms were also more likely than smaller ones to report that complexity in decision-making has increased. When faced with a significant event or opportunity, mid-tier firms take an average of 4.7 weeks to reach a decision. Only 30% of leaders consider this pace acceptable; the rest experience delays beyond what they believe is necessary, averaging about 1.9 extra weeks per major decision.
30%
7%
2%
70%
36%
48%
Between 5-8 weeks
Between 2-4 weeks
Delays increase with organisational size, companies with 250–499 employees typically take around five weeks to decide, roughly a week longer than the smallest mid-tier businesses. Given that larger mid-tier firms drive a disproportionate share of output and GVA, these longer delays carry a higher economic cost.
Decision‑making following significant events typically takes several weeks. Nearly half of mid‑tier businesses (48%) take between two and four weeks to respond, while a further 36% take five to eight weeks. Only a very small minority reach a decision within two weeks. This shows that most decisions triggered by significant events sit within a multi‑week window, creating exposure to delay where early action could make a material difference.
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