What HR professionals worry about most, according to data

insta_photos // Shutterstock The American economy has undergone rapid and unprecedented changes in recent years. Many companies were forced to shut down their operations or go remote during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the pandemic in the rearview mirror, companies are learning to adapt to their new economic circumstances. Some firms are pushing their workers to return to the office, while others have embraced either partial or full remote work. At the same time, many workers who moved during the pandemic are reluctant to return to their previous homes. WorkTango analyzed data from the Society for Human Resource Management to determine the biggest concerns facing companies. The nonprofit group conducted a survey in early November 2023, asking some 2,000 human resources professionals in the United States what they thought the biggest challenges facing their companies were. Some challenges companies face are long-running, such as fears of an economic slowdown or labor shortages; others are either new or have become more salient in recent years, such as managing their employees’ mental health and adapting to inflation. Inflation