A recent survey from the World Economic Forum (WEF) reveals that business leaders worldwide are increasingly worried about the potential for recession, labor shortages, and rising inflation, despite some positive signs in the economy.
The findings were released on Thursday and are based on responses from over 11,000 business leaders across G20 countries.
The survey highlights growing anxiety about extreme weather events, following a year marked by record temperatures, severe flooding, and wildfires in major economies like Brazil, Germany, Indonesia, and the United States. Carolina Klint, chief commercial officer for Europe at Marsh McLennan, a WEF partner along with Zurich Insurance, noted, “There is a significant level of anxiety among business leaders in G20 countries.”
According to the WEF Executive Opinion Survey, economic downturn is identified as the top risk for the next two years, followed closely by labor and talent shortages, with inflation ranked third. Poverty and inequality came in fourth, while extreme weather events were ranked fifth.
Additionally, concerns about the risks posed by technology, particularly artificial intelligence, were significant. These concerns ranked as the top risk for business in Indonesia, third in the United States, and fourth in the United Kingdom.
