- Decline in confidence of leaders aged over 65 may be a bellwether for the severity of the economic crisis to come.
- Confidence in using technology to collaborate and innovate saw the fourth largest fall since May.
- Central and Eastern European countries had five of the seven lowest confidence scores.
- Worldcom adds 15 more countries to its monthly report of the views of over 54,000 CEOs and CMOs.
CEO reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement highlight the Worldcom Confidence Index (WCI) monthly report for June 2020. As predicted in the May report, CEO confidence in corporate image and brand reputation took a hit. Not only did confidence in the topic see the third largest decline since May – down 5% – but the topic also dropped out of the top five topics of confidence for CEOs. Leaders in India had the highest confidence in corporate image and brand reputation whereas Bulgaria has the lowest.
The Worldcom Confidence Index 10
Worldcom Confidence Index highlights concerns/confidence across 23 topics and six audiences. The top 10 findings for June 2020, “The Worldcom Confidence Index 10” follow and can be seen in more detail here.
- As predicted in May, the impact of the George Floyd murder saw brand reputation fall out of the top five CEO topics of confidence.
- Decline in confidence of leaders aged over 65 may be a bellwether for the severity of the economic crisis to come.
- As the financial implications of the pandemic began to bite, leaders’ confidence in financial and economic influences on success saw the fourth largest decline (down 4%) to #18 on the WCI.
- Employer brand, keeping employees, and giving them the new skills they need to be more productive in the ‘new normal’, all saw increases in leader engagement.
- Confidence in using technology to collaborate and innovate saw the fourth largest fall. Perhaps this points to employees beginning to struggle with lack of face-to-face contact.
- Reducing plastics and other sustainability issues saw the biggest increase in attention from leaders (up 7%) but the biggest fall in confidence – down 7%.
- Influencers extended their lead as #1 audience for leader attention – up 3% since May. But confidence in the ability to satisfy influencers fell by 8%. Customers and employees also saw increases in attention.
- Confidence levels in June 2020 were 28% lower than in November 2019, despite a tiny (0.3%) improvement.
- Central and Eastern European countries had five of the seven lowest confidence scores.
- Confidence among Australasia’s execs declined 5% since May – leaving the score just above the Regional average. Confidence of North America’s leaders dropped 1%. Regions show clear variations in areas of most concern.
