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Technology can help mid-market firms to offset the damage caused by soaring inflation. But how do companies globally ensure they get the best return on investment? Here, we explore the opportunities and risks for businesses in the year ahead.

After leaping back strongly from the darkest days of the pandemic, the global mid-market could only manage a small additional step forward in the second half of 2021, as tracked by the Global business pulse, Grant Thornton’s index of health among mid-sized companies.

The mid-market’s real prioritisation of sustainability not only reflects the growing expectation of stakeholders but the forward-thinking nature of this entrepreneurial segment.

Hotels may have escaped many of the negative headlines associated with aviation and tourism, but they still face real challenges.

In the post-pandemic landscape, a new model of leadership will be needed to enable organisations to thrive. Engendering innovation, collaborating and communicating across the business, and adapting to change have become operational necessities, while empathy and inclusion are the keys to team performance.

COVID-19 continues to challenge the business landscape like no other event before it and many in the mid-market are now fully-focused on building greater resilience into their operations. However, true resilience goes beyond short-term survival – it means achieving a velocity that returns your business to a growth trajectory.

Technology played a critical role in mitigating the impact of the virus. Whether helping employees to perform their jobs or providing a platform for fulfiling products and services, technology enabled new ways of doing business.

The mid-market already had a reputation for agility but the COVID crisis has forced leaders to take an even closer look at how their operations can be more responsive. As they prepare for the future, businesses are taking stock of their existing operations and questioning whether they are fit for purpose.

In the immediate aftermath of COVID-19, businesses looked to improve their cash flow management and focus on day-to-day survival, leaning heavily on government support packages. But longer-term, businesses will need greater liquidity as they move to financial self-sufficiency after governments scale back support.

The global pandemic has provided an enormous shock to businesses and, for many in the mid-market, fundamentally tested their ability to deal with crisis and disruption. Indeed, according to Grant Thornton's IBR data, 42.2% of global respondents think they will need to improve crisis management processes after the COVID crisis.

The most radical and immediate impact of COVID-19 has been on people. New ways of working have put increased pressure on managers and their teams. Lockdowns and remote working have blurred the lines between business and professional lives and brought to the fore the physical and mental wellbeing of workforces.

The global pandemic combined with self-isolation and economic uncertainty is changing the way people consume products and services – possibly forever.

The COVID-19 pandemic presents extreme challenges to businesses and the competitive landscape will be a hot bed of innovation, quick pivots, divestments and acquisitions as businesses devise new models to recover growth.

COVID-19 has challenged the business landscape like no other event before it and many in the mid-market are now fully-focused on building greater resilience into their operations.

Regulatory changes can be challenging at the best of times but with many businesses focused on day-to-day survival, recent rule changes have proved particularly problematic.

Despite increasing trade barriers and a rather pessimistic expectation of global economic development, technology and growth opportunities are driving companies internationally in new markets.