Cybersecurity, talent retention and rising costs are among the top threats executives say their businesses are facing, according to a survey from professional services firm PWC.
From Aug. 1 to Aug. 5 PWC surveyed 722 U.S. executives for its Pulse Survey.
The Pulse Survey is conducted periodically and analyzes the challenges business leaders are facing, and the actions they are taking to respond.
Eleven fast facts from the August Pulse Survey:
1. Eighty-three percent of companies are still listing business growth as their top objective for the year, even with mixed economic signals.
2. Cyberattacks were named the top threat for businesses, with 40 percent of executives ranking them as a serious risk.
3. Talent retention (38 percent) and rising production costs (34 percent) were the second- and and third-biggest risks to businesses, respectively.
4. Societal unrest was the issue of least concern for executives (17 percent).
5. Sixty-two percent of executives expect inflation to remain high for the next year.
6. Fifty percent of executives plan to reduce their company headcounts this year.
7. Seventy percent of executives plan to make permanent remote work an option, for jobs that allow.
8. Seventy-nine percent of executives said they are revising or enhancing their cybersecurity management.
9. Investments in real estate are declining more than any other work investments, attributed to an increase in remote work.
10. Sixty-nine percent of executives are creating a "lessons learned from COVID-19" playbook.
11. Forty-three percent of health industry executives rate cybersecurity as the biggest threat, 3 percent higher than the executive average.