Business leaders are returning to work anxious about the economy, but less worried about recruiting and retaining staff

That's according to a new survey of senior business leaders by IT company Datacom.

With New Zealand now back in recession, more than three-quarters of leaders rank economic uncertainty as their biggest concern.

Less than one in 10 identify staffing as their main issue.

Most businesses expect to invest more in technology this year, including AI, automation and data optimisation.