50 shades of optimism? Looking ahead to 2022, just how optimistic are you?

Ending one year and starting a new one is always a time of reflection and prognostication for both individuals and companies. Are you one of those people who re-evaluates and sets New Year's resolutions or one who looks to see what the 2022 horoscope has to say about what's to come? Maybe you do both or neither, but here it comes regardless, and there is a variety of thinking about what 2022 holds.

The article linked below taps into JP Morgan Chase Global Research and is maybe the most optimistic viewpoint I have seen yet. The prediction is that things will improve significantly in 2022 with the end of the coronavirus pandemic and a "full global recovery!" Their predictions are based on the idea that a growing number of vaccines and therapeutics will allow for a "strong cyclical recovery, a return of global mobility, and a release of pent-up demand from consumers."

Other research from Fidelity shares that 62% of Americans are optimistic about 2022, despite concerns about inflation and rising costs. In their 2022 New Year’s Financial Resolutions Study, more than 6 in 10 (62%) of Americans said they feel optimistic about the future, despite the unknown — and 72% are confident they’ll be in a better financial position in 2022. 

And hey, Bill Gates is optimistic and gives you his reasons for optimism after a difficult year. He states in a blog post on his site, GateNotes, "I am hopeful, though, that the end is finally in sight. It might be foolish to make another prediction, but I think the acute phase of the pandemic will come to a close some time in 2022." He provides lots of things that went into this prediction and much food for thought.

Looking for some additional fodder for optimism?  According to CNN, gas prices are falling, supply chain kinks are beginning to ease, and workers are exerting new power and making more money.

We also did some of our own research recently, which revealed global mobility experts were on the more optimistic side too, although with a dose of cautious hesitation related to the omicron variant and the speed of recovery. In our 2022 trends report, "Mobility is Looking Up - Signs of Optimism for 2022 and Beyond," the key theme is “optimism for the industry,” and the report goes into more detail on three key areas that provide some good news for mobility folks. Tap into the report to consider the types of mobility in which companies are expecting volume increases, consider how mobility can support the talent acquisition challenge of today, and explore the top priorities for global mobility programs for 2022. The degree of optimism should be further described as reserved and the report shares the challenges that mobility professionals are most concerned about as they look ahead into next year.

Tell us how you are feeling when it comes to the next 12 months for the global mobility industry.