Since the global lockdowns due to the COVID pandemic, followed by Russia’s full-scale illegal invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, uncertainties have continuously been part of daily business life. 2025 has further upped the ante with tariffs and a potential global trade war, the proliferation of artificial intelligence applications and, at the same time, some warning bells about a possible AI bubble.
Each of these changes can be very sudden.
Tariffs can be introduced within a month or two. This can prompt price increases in the supply chain, forcing you to look for new business partnerships, both seeking out new suppliers and new customers and markets. Cost and price pressure can force cost changes or more radical restructuring, downsizing office space or even letting go of part of the team. But tariffs can be repealed equally suddenly. This, in turn, can result in the need to hire again, or hire differently, or hire with different skill sets.
Artificial intelligence’s promise is equally uncertain. Some say that a vast majority of white-collar jobs might be totally eliminated. Some say that these jobs will be fully transformed. At the same time, others point to unusually high valuations and circular investments indicating a bubble. Some point to hallucinations and the unreliability of AI output.
All this is in the foreground of the general business uncertainties of economic growth, inflation, exchange rate risks, and unemployment.
Being prepared for the unexpected is hard. Changes, potential changes, and anticipated changes that do not materialise each create a burden, both in terms of attention and headspace, as well as actual actions and investments. What should you prepare for?
While the final step is unknown, one thing that can help you feel — and be — more prepared is an increased level of flexibility.
Having a flexible business services partner, such as Broadstone.io Business Support Services, at hand, even while maintaining your actual workflows and processes, enables you to be prepared:
- You will have a partner ready to be deployed rapidly.
- You will have processes ready to hand.
This makes a period of turmoil less of a headache. During calmer periods, you can even do test runs, try things out, make changes. When push comes to shove, you can simply start to use this background rather than build from scratch.
Even if the environment remains calm, you can benefit from these flexible services, such as access to a broader range of skills and talent, or more flexible overtime and holiday arrangements.
And those who are not prepared in advance?
- They will search for their alternative solutions when many other companies are doing the same;
- They will be investigating these unknown solutions, paths and partners in a period that is already fairly difficult;
- And they will spend a lot of time from the beginning of their decision until the implementation is in place.
The way we provide our customers with a reassuring business background is by allowing them to set up a system and keep it on standby, with no commitments — use what you need. This way you will be prepared whether AGI takes over the labour market, the AI bubble pops, or if a new tariff is applied or an existing one is repealed.
