Global Chief Executives hold positive outlook for 2022: report

Photo: YPO.

According to a survey by YPO Global Pulse, over 80 per cent of global chief executives across 44 industries believe economic growth will remain strong in 2022.

Conducted with 1,700 chief executives in 101 countries responding, top YPO Global Pulse Survey findings include:

• Among those surveyed, 37 per cent reported a 20 per cent increase in revenue or more since the beginning of 2021, and only 17 per cent saw a decrease of 10 per cent or more since the beginning of the year.
• Hiring has picked up, with 38 per cent of respondents experiencing a 10 per cent increase or more in the number of employees since the beginning of 2021, though 45 per cent of firms said their total head count is about the same as it was in early 2021 and 16 per cent said they saw a decrease.

• Most chief executives (71 per cent) are very or somewhat concerned about the impact of inflation on their businesses next year. U.S. leaders (77 per cent) are more concerned about inflation than their global counterparts.

• Inflation concerns could spell bad news for consumers, with respondents in the food and beverage (74 per cent), manufacturing (73 per cent) and retail and wholesale sales (62 per cent) industries planning to raise prices in response to inflation.

• Thirty-nine percent believe resolution of supply chain issues will come at the end of 2022, and 38 per cent expect it in 2023 or later.
• The global labour shortage continues, with 67 per cent of respondents saying it is somewhat or very difficult to find employees for the general workforce and 57 per cent of respondents reporting the same levels of difficulty when it comes to C-suite and executive hires.