Stressed Executives — More Stressed this Year than Last

Weekly Industry News features a lot of stories on stressed employees. Sentry's 2026 C-Suite Stress Index survey talked with 1,250 executives and found they are just as stressed.

In some cases, maybe even more.

• 60% are feeling more stressed this year than last

• 54% expect their businesses to survive and do better in 2026

Here’s what worries them most:

• 45% worry about supply chain and logistic issues

• 44% are concerned about economic problems

• 39% see tariffs and trade as their biggest issue

• 38% are concerned about healthcare costs for employees

• 38% see labor shortages as a big worry

Sentry’s national sales director, Brett Hoopingarner said the survey found a lot of executives fussing over perceived threats while overlooking the risks that could cause their businesses to fold:

• 17% worry about frivolous lawsuits

• However, 69% say a multi-million dollar lawsuit would put their business under

• That said, 67% say increases in multi-million dollar lawsuit decisions are a growing problem

• 66% see third-party litigation as a huge problem

When it comes to lawsuits:

• 93% have seen their company impacted by lawsuits in the last 5 years

• Over half have seen higher insurance premiums as a result

• 37% hired employees to specifically handle litigation demands

Then there’s the weather:

• 50% say the next major weather catastrophe could cause their business to close

• Just 32% put natural catastrophes as a top threat

"Increasingly, policyholders are making the connection between weather and business continuity," Hoopingarner said. "Our policyholders are starting to look at whether new suppliers--and even competitors--can fulfill orders if they go down due to a major weather event. We also are seeing executives extend business income and expense coverage to 12-24 months rather than only 6-12 months to help them survive should a catastrophe hit.”

When it comes to insurance:

• 98% plan to re-evaluate their insurance policies this year

• 17% are fully confident they’re insurance coverage is adequate

Source link: My New Markets — https://bit.ly/4nCTv5N