Driving growth in an uncertain decade

Thriving amid uncertainty

While the future may take different forms, the possible scenarios share a common thread: volatility is becoming structural and the margin for error is shrinking. 

For mid‑market organisations, the question is no longer how to return to stability, but how to perform in its absence.

However, with just over half of executives (51%) saying that cybersecurity is a key priority for their organisation, our research suggests that some organisations are moving faster on innovation than on the protections required to keep that innovation secure. 

In a world where technology underpins every part of an organisation and is fundamental to growth and survival – and where geopolitical threats are increasingly acute – cybersecurity must also be a key priority.

As AI replaces or reshapes many entry-level roles, how do people entering the workforce gain the foundational skills they need to become the executives of tomorrow?

Leaders need to balance technology and talent, ensuring that in their race for technology-enabled growth, they do not neglect their human workforce. Not only does achieving the right balance help organisations prepare for tomorrow’s talent constraints, it also serves as a potential growth lever today.

In a technology-saturated world, 7 in 10 leaders believe that the mid-market organisations that can demonstrate their human value are the ones that will win.

Regulatory oversight

While policy changes driven by political oscillation are already posing a challenge, 60% predict an increasing pace of regulatory change over the next decade, with just 18% anticipating a slowdown.  

Yet our opinion research indicates that while leaders are concerned about a hyper‑regulated future, they are still not giving compliance the precedence it needs.  

Regulatory compliance and governance are at the bottom of the list of organisations’ current investment priorities, along with sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives.

In the scramble for innovation and growth, there is a risk that businesses put themselves in the path of fines and reputational damage by neglecting these fundamentals. 

Strong governance is not just about risk mitigation; it can create the foundation for organisations to innovate with confidence.

The Goldilocks zone

Despite the challenges, there is abundant cause for optimism among mid-sized organisations, especially those that can turn potential risks into advantages. 

In fact, mid-market organisations could be in a Goldilocks position for the next decade: not too big to face political targeting yet big enough to plan alternative strategies in the case of volatility; nimbler than larger businesses yet with better economies of scale than smaller ones.