From Numbers to Narratives
Your Results
Use these outcomes to gain a deeper understanding of how your perspective on growth aligns with other organizations from around the globe. Dive into specific dimensions of growth that enable businesses to thrive, categorized by region and industry.
Dear NAME
Your Results
Use these outcomes to gain a deeper understanding of how your perspective on growth aligns with other organizations from around the globe. Dive into specific dimensions of growth that enable businesses to thrive, categorized by region and industry.
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Your Results
Revisit your results to gain a deeper understanding of how your perspective on growth aligns with other organizations from around the globe. Dive into specific dimensions of growth that enable businesses to thrive, categorized by region and industry.
Executive Summary
By integrating ESG factors into core strategies, businesses can build resilience against climate risks, social unrest and technological disruptions.
Implementing innovation will enable diverse perspectives and ethical considerations to fuel creative solutions. Employee engagement rises in inclusive, purpose-driven organizations. When brand reputations grow, they attract people who value responsible practices. This enables financial performance to thrive, bolstering long-term vision and stakeholder trust.
Going beyond the bottom line enables business success to be measured by the mark it leaves on its people, customers, communities and the planet.
Defining Growth
01 Defining Growth
How is growth defined?
Definitions of growth are evolving. There is growing recognition to operate in a more sustainable, responsible and inclusive way. Factors redefining growth include environmental sustainability, talent and workforce, societal agendas, regulation and geopolitical tensions.
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Definitions of Growth
Similar to your peers, you currently define growth in a financial and non-financial sense.
More than money.
There is a growing recognition of the importance of sustainability among businesses, with a majority of respondents considering their definition of growth to be sustainable. This is likely to continue in the coming years as sustainability becomes a more important consideration for businesses.
Key statistics
81 %
of respondents agreed or completely agreed that their understanding of growth has changed in the past 3-5 years.
82 %
of respondents with annual revenue of £1bn+ agreed that their definition of growth was sustainable.
Aon Insights
Get the insights from our latest Aon articles, or see how we can help you with specific solutions related to this area.
2024 Client Trends Report
The 2024 Client Trends Report: Trade, Technology, Weather and Workforce is a comprehensive paper — the first in an annual series — addressing four megatrends impacting global business.
Business Decision Maker Survey
Executives are saying their businesses are moving too slowly to address the volatility caused by the four Megatrends of Trade, Technology, Weather and Workforce
To grow and be best prepared to face the challenges of an uncertain global economy among other complex risks, businesses must balance stability and resilience with innovation and agility.
Michael Carr
EMEA Head of M&A and Transaction Solutions, Aon
Sustainability Drivers
02 Sustainability Drivers
How does environmental sustainability drive growth?
Businesses are recognising the importance of environmental sustainability as a driver for growth. However, to integrate sustainability into business models, its value must be communicated to all stakeholders.
Environmental Sustainability as a Driver for Short, Medium and Long-Term Growth
Similar to your peers, your company views environmental sustainability as a moderate driver for growth in the short and mid-term, with increasing importance in the long term.
Embracing an environmental shift.
Balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability is a complex and challenging task for businesses. However, it is becoming increasingly important for businesses to address these factors to remain competitive and sustainable in the long term.
Key statistics
27 %
of respondents view environmental sustainability as a long-term driver for growth, with limited short-term impact.
40 %
of respondents cited the cost of adopting sustainable practices as the biggest challenge.
Aon Insights
Get the insights from our latest Aon articles, or see how we can help you with specific solutions related to this area.
Climate Analytics Unlock Capital to Protect People and Property
Extreme weather and a changing climate are impacting many of the risks businesses face today. To address future exposures, organizations will need advanced climate and natural catastrophe models and expertise that can assess chronic and acute risks.
2024 Climate and Catastrophe Insight
As climate change affects the frequency and intensity of global natural disasters, how can organizations identify trends to protect people and property?
Talent and Workforce Management
03 Talent and Workforce Management
How important is talent and workforce management in achieving growth objectives?
Talent and workforce management are crucial for achieving company growth objectives, but their importance varies across roles, companies and industries. Attracting and retaining top talent requires attractive employee benefits, a strong company culture and a clear work-life balance.
Importance of Talent and Workforce Management to Achieve Organizational Growth Objectives
You view talent and workforce management as moderately important in achieving your company's growth objectives, compared with your peers who view it as very important.
Holistic employee experiences drive growth.
Businesses are increasingly recognising that attracting and retaining top talent requires a comprehensive approach that addresses various factors, including employee benefits, work-life balance, pay & rewards, and a strong company culture with inclusive values, to enable their growth strategies.
The 3 critical factors for attracting and retaining top talent
- Employee benefits and work-life balance
- Strong company culture and values
- Competitive compensation packages
Key statistics
68 %
of respondents in C-suite or Senior roles considered talent and workforce management to be very important.
32 %
of respondents view DEI as an integral part of their growth strategy.
Aon Insights
Get the insights from our latest Aon articles, or see how we can help you with specific solutions related to this area.
Medical Rate Trends and Mitigation Strategies Across the Globe
Rising medical costs are a global phenomenon. Aon’s 2025 Global Medical Trend Rate Survey found that costs are projected to rise 10 percent in 2025.
A Workforce in Transition Prepares to Meet a Host of Challenges
Engaging a changing workforce requires data and innovation. Workers increasingly expect more than just a paycheck. In response, organizations are balancing costs with the ability to provide a compelling employee experience.
Growth Metrics
04 Growth Metrics
What metrics are used to measure business growth?
Businesses use a variety of metrics to measure growth, including financial metrics, ESG, workforce and talent, and brand metrics.
Metrics to Measure Growth (financial and non-financial)
You measure growth using the following parameters:
- Financial organic growth
Measurement differs by region.
Businesses in the UK, Italy and Canada are most likely to use ESG metrics. Businesses in the UK and North America are most likely to use workforce, talent and brand metrics as measurements for growth. Across all regions, the C-suite are most likely to use multiple metrics to measure growth.
Top 3 Growth Metrics
- Financial organic growth
- Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)
- Financial inorganic growth
Key statistics
33 %
of respondents marked financial metrics as a primary factor in growth strategies.
66 %
of respondents voted organic growth as the most common growth metric.
Aon Insights
Get the insights from our latest Aon articles, or see how we can help you with specific solutions related to this area.
Global Risk Management Survey
Trade, technology, weather and workforce stability are the central forces in today’s risk landscape. While each of these forces are individually impacting growth, their increasing interconnectedness is adding to the complexity of risk and presenting new challenges to business leaders. In a period of rapid change and heightened volatility, finance, risk, and people leaders need to come together to better understand how these risks connect.
Wide-Ranging Trade Issues Confront Global Businesses on Multiple Fronts
Trade is the lifeblood of the global economy, but supply chain challenges are creating concerns for business leaders in 2024 and beyond. The M&A landscape is also facing interconnected risks, with signs of optimism on the horizon in a rebounding market.
A Five Year Outlook
05 A Five Year Outlook
What does growth look like over the next five years?
Businesses have a highly diverse outlook on what growth could be in the next five years. This underscores the need for companies to develop adaptable and multidimensional growth strategies to be successful.
Growth Scenarios Over the Next Five Years
Within the next 5 years, you predict growth will look like the following:
- Highly competitive, with an emphasis on relevancy, innovation, and agility
Multifaceted growth.
Businesses face a multitude of challenges in achieving their growth objectives. Global economic uncertainty, data privacy and cybersecurity, and environmental challenges are the most common and concerning challenges faced. This multifaceted experience suggests there is no single, definitive pattern for growth.
Top 3 Scenarios for Future Growth
- Slow and steady, with a focus on stability and resilience
- Highly competitive, with an emphasis on relevancy, innovation, and agility
- Sustainable and responsible, with a focus on ESG considerations
Key statistics
$ 1 B+
annual revenue organizations anticipate more aggressive and competitive growth strategies, especially in professional services and technology, media and communications.
43 %
of respondents cite global economic uncertainty as the primary challenge facing company growth.
Aon Insights
Get the insights from our latest Aon articles, or see how we can help you with specific solutions related to this area.
A Guide to Maximizing Value in Post-Merger Integrations
As inflation rates decline and interest rates stabilize, organizations are increasingly eager to pursue ambitious M&A deals. However, it is crucial to maintain a strong post-merger integration (PMI) strategy to avoid potential value erosion.
Evolving Technologies Are Driving Firms to Harness Opportunities and Defend Against Threats
While advancements in AI, cyber and data technology are helping companies operating in an increasingly digital world gain a significant competitive edge, they also introduce new and evolving risks.
In addition to financial metrics, growth is about being prepared to face the challenges of an uncertain global economy. Organizations must balance workforce stability and resilience with innovation and agility.
Byron Beebe
Global Chief Commercial Officer, Human Capital Solutions, Aon
Shifting Growth Perspectives
06 Shifting Growth Perspectives
How is the measurement of growth evolving?
The measurement of growth is expected to undergo significant changes, with businesses incorporating a broader range of metrics beyond traditional financial measures, including ESG, brand, and talent and workforce metrics.
Shifts in the Measurement of Growth
Regarding your company's growth measurement, you are currently in the process of working out how it will change in the next 3-5 years, compared with your peers who believe it will incorporate esg metrics.
Attitudes to metrics are changing.
With organizations acknowledging an evolving meaning of growth, the metrics they use to measure growth are also changing. Businesses that are open to changing measurements of growth unlock a new route to achieving goals.
Leaders across industries predict that measurements of growth will incorporate ESG metrics.
Key statistics
15 %
of respondents said they would change their definition of growth to incorporate brand equity and perception metrics.
13 %
of respondents said they would change their definition of growth to incorporate talent and workforce metrics.
Aon Insights
Get the insights from our latest Aon articles, or see how we can help you with specific solutions related to this area.
Measure Workforce Resilience for Better Business Outcomes
Business performance and workforce resilience are intertwined. Organizations need to support employees so they are adaptable to change and can navigate their way through volatility. When the resilience of a workforce rises, so does client satisfaction, profit margin, innovation, net promoter scores and employee retention.
Energy Transition Investments: How Advanced Analytics Can Empower Organizations
Advanced analytics can empower organizations with deeper insights into the risks and opportunities surrounding renewables, while also supporting energy transition investment.
The Transforming Role of Finance
07 The Transforming Role of Finance
How is the role of finance transforming to drive sustainable growth?
The function of finance is expected to undergo a significant strategic transformation. This shift aligns with the demands of a purpose-driven culture and society, as a central driver of purposeful and sustainable growth.
Drivers of Transformation in the Function of Finance
You anticipate the role of the finance function evolving in the following ways:
- Finance functions will play a significant role in aligning financial goals with the company's purpose and sustainability objectives
CFOs are key drivers of sustainable growth.
Beyond CEOs (56%), CFOs are increasingly recognized as significant influencers in shaping company growth strategies (23%). This shift highlights the finance function’s critical role in driving purpose-driven business practices. Larger businesses (£5bn+ annual revenue) particularly value the CFO’s expertise in complex financial management, especially when navigating the challenges of balancing growth and sustainability.
Key statistics
32 %
of respondents anticipate a significant role for the finance function in aligning goals with company purpose and sustainability objectives.
73 %
of respondents said customers are the most significant influencers in shaping their company growth strategies.
Aon Insights
Get the insights from our latest Aon articles, or see how we can help you with specific solutions related to this area.
Better Decisions in Trade, Technology, Weather and Workforce
From global supply chain risks to climate insecurity, organizations face challenges and complexities on a scale rarely seen before. As we talk with clients about the road ahead, we have identified four big trends that will shape the next few years: trade, technology, weather and workforce.
5 Ways HR Can Partner with Finance to Drive Growth
The role of HR professionals is becoming more strategic, which requires collaboration with other areas of an organization to help drive growth. Given that people and benefit costs are a large portion of business expenses, partnering with finance is a natural step forward.
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Multidimensional Growth
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