Small and mid-sized business CEO confidence spiked at the end of 2024, according to a Jan. 16 analysis from CEO coaching and peer advisory organization Vistage. The surge may signal optimism in hiring and growth going into 2025.
Much of that optimism is due to the incoming administration, Vistage said.
“Economic conditions are largely shaped by factors such as administration policies, trade regulations, inflation, and consumer confidence,” Joe Galvin, Vistage’s chief research officer, said in a statement. “More than half of CEOs expect the economy to improve in the coming year, with many optimistic about the new administration and the potential for pro-business policies, reduced regulations, lower inflation, and reduced borrowing costs to drive investment and fuel growth.”
Notably, close to 2 in 3 CEOs surveyed said they expect their total number of employees to increase in 2025; only 5% said they anticipate layoffs or cuts.
Additionally, more than half of CEOs surveyed said they think regulatory compliance changes will positively impact their organization, while 44% said the same regarding new labor and employment laws. But nearly a third said that immigration policy changes may negatively affect their organization.
After President Donald Trump’s election in November, experts told HR Dive that immigration reform will be a priority, which has been reflected in executive orders signed thus far. His administration will also turn more toward “supply-side” enforcement, or workplace raids, one attorney said.
Experts also said that the government may withdraw efforts to defend the previous administration’s regulations that are currently being challenged in court.
