WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The year of 2022 will probably become one of the hardest times to run a company in the United States out of many uncertainties, according to a recent report by U.S. news website Axios.

Pedestrians cross a street during a winter storm in New York on January 29, 2022. (Photo: AFP)

This year "is shaping up to be ... even harder than 2020, when the pandemic first hit," said the report published Thursday, citing corporate leaders and analysts.

"Supply chain snarls, lingering COVID disruptions, labor shortages, inflation, rising pay and soaring demands for new benefits and work flexibility are driving up costs and complexity," it said.

Noting the continuous workforce challenges facing U.S. companies in particular, the report said despite that the United States now has around 11 million open jobs, there are not many people eager to apply to them.

"The Great Resignation is forcing companies to raise wages and beef up benefits to try to attract talent," it added.