Kaufman Rossin and Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance Release 2026 Broward County Leadership Survey Report
Results show ‘tempered confidence’ among Broward business leaders
Kaufman Rossin, the largest independent CPA and advisory firm in Florida and one of the top 50 firms in the U.S., announced the release of the 2026 Broward County Leadership Survey report. Conducted by Kaufman Rossin on behalf of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, this annual survey offers a front-row view of how Broward’s business leaders read the economy and the actions they plan to take. This year’s results reveal that while leaders remain confident about the year ahead, their strategic priorities have shifted, moving away from headcount growth and toward technology investment and workforce capability.
The survey was distributed in April and May 2026 to business owners, CEOs, and other decision-makers across Broward County. A total of 253 business leaders responded.
For the first time in the survey’s history, technology ranked as the single most common investment priority, cited by 55.8% of respondents. Training also saw the largest year-over-year jump of any category, rising 13 points, while salaries and benefits fell. The data paints a clear picture: leaders are choosing to equip the teams they already have rather than expand them. Only 43.5% of leaders plan to increase staff in 2026, the lowest level in five years, with a plurality (45.5%) planning to maintain current headcount.
Despite the shift in priorities, overall optimism remains. Six in 10 respondents (63.3%) expect their business to be better off a year from now, though that figure has cooled gradually from a high of 74% in 2022.
The survey also highlights two areas of persistent concern. Affordable housing emerged as the most frequently cited long-term risk, with 62.1% of leaders pointing to housing costs as the single greatest threat to doing business in Broward County — a view that held consistent across industries, job levels, and outlooks. Artificial intelligence ranked as the challenge leaders feel least prepared to handle, with 27% identifying it as their most daunting emerging trend.
