It used to be said that when America sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold. That was back in 1929. Today, any one of dozens of countries could sneeze, and the rest of the world could come down with pneumonia. Governments, businesses and investors are all acutely conscious of this, and they are nervous as a result.

Take the eurozone debt crisis, for example, which has taken its toll on Europe's economies. Financial rescue packages have helped prevent a deeper or wider financial panic, but the eurozone crisis is one more reminder that financial events don't stop at national frontiers.

Events of last year also reminded us of the need to expect the unexpected. Who would have foretold that a volcanic ash cloud from Iceland would close off much of European airspace for almost a month? Businesses were impacted, of course, but they quickly adapted: for example, video communication replaced face-to-face meetings between staff from different countries, and saved money and time in the process.

It's a perfect illustration of the way that information and communications technology enable businesses to cope with the unexpected better than ever before. But it helps if you have good contingency planning in place before the unexpected happens.

Transformation and optimism

The coming months will bring further unpredictability and require further change.

Whether you see such transformation as good or bad depends on whether you see change as an opportunity or a threat. Businesses have to innovate, to become more efficient, to think smarter. Many are more competitive as a result.

Our bi-annual Business Tracker Survey of 1800 business people in the UK found that 34% of companies expect to increase headcount as we move towards 2012. At the same time, 40% of UK businesses plan to reduce overheads. The most successful companies will underpin their optimism and expansion with a drive to be more efficient.

New ways of working

Flexible working practices will help companies cut costs, they'll also help them manage their human capital. With companies looking to add staff, there'll be greater competition for the top talent. Firms need to attract and retain that talent with new options: the ability to work closer to home, to work flexible hours, to tailor their work patterns to their lifestyle.

The beneficial effects of such working practices can be manifold: employees waste less time commuting and get better work-life balance and motivation; employers get a more contented, more productive workforce. It's something every forward-looking employer should be thinking if they haven't done so already.

As globalisation accelerates, businesses will need to do such thinking more quickly than they used to. They must also be prepared to act quickly and not let new opportunities slip past.  Unpredictability and transformation, as well as further recovery lie ahead. If businesses want to prosper in such a landscape, agility, innovation, and efficiency must be at the forefront of their thinking. And, of course, they must expect the unexpected to happen.

Mark Dixon, CEO of Regus