Senior financial executives worldwide expect economic growth in the year ahead and plan to increase their companies’ workforce, according to the 2018 Global Business & Spending Outlook released today by American Express and institutional investor Thought Leadership Studio. The report is based on a survey of 870 senior finance executives from companies around the world with revenue of $500 million or more.

Almost all respondents, 93%, anticipate an uptick in their companies’ headcount in the coming year — up from 85% in last year’s survey — but they will be hiring at a slower pace.

To meet their staffing needs, 57% of companies worldwide are likely to expand their use of temporary and part-time workers, down from 63% in 2017. Overall, 55% of respondents see the use of contractors, freelancers, and temporary workers as an important part of their employment strategies; however, only 4% said they were central to their strategies.

The survey also found 56% of senior financial executives plan to improve the working environment by reconfiguring office space and providing more amenities, 54% plan to offer more flexible schedules and remote-work opportunities and 51% expect to expand career development through relocation and geographic rotation programs.

Optimism about economic growth prospects for 2018

A majority of respondents worldwide, 85%, anticipate substantial or modest economic expansion in their country in 2018, up from 70% in 2017’s survey. And 54% of companies surveyed reported higher or much higher revenue in the last 12 months, up from 44% in last year’s survey.

However, expectations for the velocity of expansion slow in this year’s study, as the proportion of respondents who anticipate substantial rather than modest expansion falls to 21% worldwide from 38% last year. The decline is most evident in the US, where the figure drops to 1% from 69% last year. The only region where there is not a decline in velocity is Europe, where expectations of a substantial expansion more than double to 26% this year from 11% in 2017.

When asked about the emerging technologies that “keep them up at night,” 57% of respondents expressed concern and curiosity for robotics and automation and 54% for artificial intelligence. North American finance executives are much more likely to express concern for robotics and automation at 71% than artificial intelligence at 31%.