PwC’s 26th annual global CEO survey came out last month, and the data revealed that CEOs are facing a dual imperative in today’s uncertain environment to not only reduce costs, but also to spur growth. Businesses are facing uncertainty, and exploring options to shore up and prepare for the future. Activities may include reducing operating costs, diversifying products and services, raising prices, and implementing hiring freezes.

So which of all of these options is best for your company? Heather Horn was joined by Bhushan Sethi, PwC Strategy& partner, to discuss how finance teams can work to help their businesses weather storms in the near term, while still preparing for longer term success.

In this episode, you will hear:

• 1:59 - How macroeconomic forces have shaped CEO sentiment and optimism over the last year
• 9:03 - The impact of stakeholder capitalism on informing companies’ decisions about strategy and investments in the current downturn
• 12:01 - How businesses balance short-term performance with long-term resilience
• 20:30 - Labor market updates, and how worker preferences are evolving
• 28:19 - How companies are embracing growth in spite of near-term challenges by diversifying products and services and leveraging technology
• 32:37 - Looking ahead five to ten years: what successful companies are doing now to prepare for changes in demographics, business models, and trends in globalization

Want to hear more perspectives from our latest Global CEO Survey? Check out our summary of the survey results.

Bhushan Sethi is a partner in Strategy&, PwC’s strategy consulting business, where he’s focused on Business and Organization Transformation. Bhushan is a thought leader, public speaker, media spokesperson, and influencer on "future of work,” risk culture, workforce strategy, employee experience, and diversity & inclusion.

Heather Horn is PwC’s National Office thought leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting and financial reporting matters. She is the engaging host of PwC’s accounting and reporting weekly podcast and quarterly webcast series. With over 30 years of experience, Heather’s accounting and auditing expertise includes financial instruments and rate-regulated accounting.