When you think about it, midsized businesses are the powerhouses of the U.S. economy. Midsized businesses have created 44 percent of the 16.3 million net jobs added during the last seven years. The National Center for Middle Market Research asserts that if the U.S. middle market were a country, its GDP would rank as the fifth largest economy in the world, just behind Japan but ahead of Germany. 

Not as lean as small businesses nor as weighty as large corporations, midsized businesses serve as a balanced litmus test for trends affecting the U.S. economy. A recent report from the ADP Research Institute® (ADPRI), "Midsized Businesses Poised to Lose Balance in Time of Uncertainty," surveyed nearly 800 midsized business owners, C-suite executives and senior-level executives about their experiences and plans for the coming year.  The report found that midsized businesses are currently reacting to several significant outside pressures. 

In the past 12 months, we've seen a shrinking talent pool and major shifts in government, policy and public life. Many midsized companies appear to be taking a wait-and-see approach to business practices as several policy matters remain up in the air, such as health care, tax regulations and trade laws. Over time, this waiting can cause a loss of competitive advantage and lead to weaknesses in otherwise strong companies.