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The top risks for Southern business leaders

18 October 2023

We take a deeper dive into the 2023 UK Business Risk Report to explore the insights provided by Southern business leaders like you.

Their five biggest concerns

  1. Financial uncertainty (37%)
  2. Employee health and wellbeing (31%)
  3. Talent retention / attraction / succession planning (27%)
  4. Supply chain reliance and disruption (24%)
  5. Workplace culture and leadership (22%)

d leadership (22%) Download our UK Business Risk Report We surveyed 2,000+ business leaders just like you to identify the key risks you're facing and created the UK Business Risk Report - full of practical insights to help you tackle them. UK Business Risk Report: Southern business leaders

Take a deeper dive into the UK Business Risk Report and explore the insights provided by other Southern business leaders like you.

What steps are they taking alleviate these concerns?

 Southern leaders have reviewed the following in the last 12 months:  Southern leaders plan to review the following in the next 12 months:
 Health and safety policy and procedures (56%)  Employee health and benefits offering (32%)
 Employee health and benefits offering (50%)  Workplace culture and leadership (28%)
 Insurance coverage (49%)  Cyber security controls (26%)
 Cyber security controls (49%)  Supplier contracts and relationships (25%)
 Customer contracts (46%)  Customer contracts (24%)

 

How confident are Southern business leaders?

Expect the following to increase in the next 12 months:

  • Productivity (45%)
  • Turnover (45%)
  • Profitability (42%)

Expect the following to decrease in the next 12 months:

  • Staffing levels (21%)
  • Profitability (15%)
  • Turnover (15%)

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) confidence

  • 51% understand it
  • 46% incorporate it in their strategy
  • 42% review related credentials of suppliers

 

“This survey report, and discussions I’ve had with lots of business leaders across our region over recent months, suggest businesses have a strong desire for options.
Options to counter inflation and interest rate pressures. Options to help attract colleagues back very regularly, physically into a collaborative work environment most days of the working week and to help shape a vibrant, interesting, engaging, positive culture.

Businesses are trying to encourage next generation new joiners, career development and staff retention beyond just pay. Businesses are looking for strategic relationships with value add rather than transactional vendors – something that will put them in good stead for achieving carbon neutrality.

Leaders have told me they want to work with people who understand their industry, how to help them be more resilient to risk and be in tune with the capital journey to support their ambitions for the future. There are many ways Marsh can help with these challenges and opportunities. We at Marsh are keen to support.”

Andrew Wilton, Regional Director