According to the latest Principal Financial Well-Being IndexSM (WBI), business owners, decision makers, and business leaders report strong levels of growth. Despite ongoing high inflation, survey respondents anticipate continued economic growth and high levels of optimism. However, employees don’t report the same level of optimism about the economy, especially as they look toward the next 12 months.
“Business optimism is translating into action, as we see a strong correlation between economic outlook and businesses looking to increase staff, invest in expansion, and upgrade infrastructure,” said Amy Friedrich, president of benefits and protection at Principal Financial Group.
More businesses report growth compared to this time last year (66 percent versus 62 percent). And small businesses continue to close the growth gap with large businesses. A year ago, large businesses outpaced small businesses in reporting growth by 20 percentage points (74 percent compared t
