The business community remains confident in Broward County, even as it reprioritizes where it invests.
Now in its fifth consecutive year, the Broward County Leadership Survey — conducted by Kaufman Rossin and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance — offers a front-row view of how Broward’s business leaders read the economy and where they’re placing their bets.
This year’s results indicate Broward’s business leaders feel optimistic about the year ahead, but they are more measured than in past years, and they are making different strategic choices in response to how they read the economy.
Inside you’ll find:
- How optimism has trended in the past five years
- Why hiring plans are softer than at any point since 2022
- Where investments are shifting — and what’s falling off the list
- The long-term risk that spans every industry and job level
- Why AI is the challenge leaders feel least equipped to handle
The headline of this year’s report is not a change in sentiment so much as a shift in where leaders are choosing to invest.
Hiring is no longer the default growth lever. Technology has claimed the top investment spot for the first time. And two challenges —lack of affordable housing, and artificial intelligence — stand out as the areas where leaders feel most exposed.
Five findings define this year’s report:
Most leaders are optimistic, but less than in prior years.
63.3% of leaders expect their business to improve over the next 12 months, but that figure has declined gradually since a high of 74% in 2022. The trend tracks national normalization following the economic expansion of 2021–2022, rather than anything specific to Broward.
Most leaders plan to hold staffing steady.
For the first time, a plurality of respondents — 45.4% — plan to maintain current headcount rather than grow it. Only 43.5% plan to increase staff in 2026, the lowest share in the survey’s five-year history.
Investment is moving from compensation to capability.
Technology has topped the investment priority list for the first time, cited by 55.8% of leaders. Training saw the largest single-year jump of any category — up 13 points. Investment in salaries and benefits both fell sharply, suggesting leaders are choosing to equip and upskill existing teams rather than focusing on compensation adjustments.
Lack of affordable housing is the most frequently cited long-term risk.
62.1% of leaders identified the high cost of housing as the single greatest long-term threat to doing business in Broward. That view held consistent across industry, job level, and business outlook.
Artificial intelligence is the challenge leaders feel least prepared for.
27% of respondents identified AI as the trend they are least equipped to handle — more than any other category. Notably, the leaders most concerned about AI are also the ones investing below the survey average in both technology and training.
Looking forward
Broward’s business leaders remain optimistic, even as their investment priorities shift. Technology is the top investment priority for the first time, and investment in training is also set to rise. Hiring plans are softer than in prior years, but the confidence and resilience that have long defined the Broward business climate remain intact.
What this year’s data adds is a clearer picture of how leaders’ agendas are shifting and the actions they plan to take.
Questions about what this means for your business?
Kaufman Rossin’s advisors work with businesses across South Florida on strategy, operations, technology, and risk. Whether you’re navigating workforce decisions, planning technology investments, or thinking through long-term growth, we can help.
Broward’s business climate is shifting. Is your strategy keeping up?
Let’s talk through what this year’s findings mean for you.
