Corporates, on an average, perceive that it will take 66.1 weeks (16.5 months) to achieve economic normalcy, while for full health normalcy, it would take 15 more weeks (3.8 months), as per findings of a survey.
The survey was conducted by TRA Research in 16 cities with 101 corporate respondents from April 8 to May 4, 2020.
“The biggest concerns of Corporate India are of global recession, which is 66% on the Worry Index, followed by India’s inability to overcome the health crisis, at 59%,” Nilakantan Chandramouli, CEO, TRA Research, said.
Three important factors of business survival, India’s bleak economic outlook and social unrest, all had a Worry Index of 57%, showed the many challenges that corporate India was grappling with at the moment, he said.
“Shaky Consumer Confidence remains lowest on the Worry Index at 39% showing ‘Little Worried’, possibly implying corporates are currently more concerned about the larger picture leading to disruptions,” he added.
“Considering the COVID-19 impact, the highest was revenues for the year at 75% Impact Index, followed by Advertising at 64% impact, showing that the first cuts were in immediately controllable expenses, especially in the light of the negligible demand for many sectors during the lockdown,” Mr. Chandramouli added.
The survey revealed the Coping-Worry gap among upper management was the highest at 32%, and perhaps there is just too much on the plate of the top management to cope with everything together.
The other challenge of the upper management is perhaps the external show of strength they have to present, despite their personal fears and anxieties.
On the priority of corporates, OPEX reduction is at the top with 69.5% priority, Capex reduction is the second highest priority at 65.5%, business strategy at 64.5% priority, company operations at 56.5% priority and manpower cost reduction is the last at 51.5% priority.