After a few years of turmoil for businesses and individuals alike, the world is finally starting to look a little more stable. And business owners feel that way, too; in our 2025 survey, an overwhelming 96% of business owners said they felt optimistic about their business succeeding in 2025. By contrast, just 77% said the same the previous year. This is likely due to the formation of a new government, decreased stress, and feeling more prepared to embrace AI.
But does this feeling of optimism permeate through your whole business? A growing number of business owners (56%) believe their employees feel stressed, compared with 46% the year before. As a result, more businesses are putting measures in place to help deal with employee concerns.
To help our staff see the same opportunities and feel the same optimism as we do, we must demonstrate genuine commitment to employee welfare and growth. So, let’s look at what we can do to build sustainable businesses via employee wellbeing.
Recognising individual motivations
Employers and employees are often pitched against each other. The employer wants to drive down costs, while staff want to increase their wages. However, everyone has their own unique motivations when it comes to work. Like all employees, business owners have personal drivers, and they’re not always about profit.
The disconnect between leaders and staff comes from embedded attitudes about what each side wants from the other. But everyone is unique — not all staff want more money, just as not all business owners want more profit.
As business owners, we must open up productive conversations about motivations across our workforce. When we understand what drives our staff, we can offer genuinely valuable benefits that make them feel cared for and help them achieve their goals. This will create a foundation from which we can start to build something truly great together.
What drives employee optimism?
Employee optimism grows from a foundation of security. Feeling secure in your finances, wellbeing, and employment status can all help people feel more at ease. So, businesses must invest in these areas to show employees that their security is a priority.
Here, we’ll look at some of the issues currently facing employees and how employers can help address them to boost staff optimism.
1. Economic stability
Over the last few years, many people have come to realise that money isn’t everything. So, while economic stability is essential to many, there are benefits businesses can offer over and above wage increases.
We’ve enhanced our benefits package to include mental health support, financial planning assistance, and flexible work arrangements. But it’s not just about having a great offer — it’s about listening to staff and what they want.
Businesses must put bespoke packages in place to accommodate people’s individual needs. And employees must be honest in communicating what they want from the employer.
2. Job security in the face of AI
Since AI hit the mainstream, employees have begun to worry about job security. And ultimately, businesses are looking for efficiency — so they need people who can do what AI can’t.
Staff must now look to discover their real value to your business in the face of AI. If this proves difficult, staff may need to have a conversation with their employer about their position and how they can bring more value to the company. An employer may also see potential in a staff member, but they can’t see themselves.
In the age of AI, employers and employees must work together to ensure every team member is indispensable to the business. Whether that involves upskilling, utilising AI effectively, or taking on new responsibilities, businesses must support staff with their new endeavours, and staff must be willing to adapt to evolving business needs.
3. Flexibility over instability
The constant churn and change of the last few years has left lots of people longing for stability and routine. But there’s also a lingering need for flexibility in when and where people work.
The conversation around hybrid work is starting to mature. It’s no longer just a tussle for control; there’s a logic to it. Employees may find they can tackle administrative tasks more productively at home, while collaborative projects are much easier face-to-face in the office.
Work flexibility has been a contentious point, but both staff and employers are starting to accept the drivers on the other side. Willingness to compromise on both sides creates a productive, optimistic workforce.
Bridging the optimism gap: what employers can do
There are 3 fundamental ways leadership teams can help employees feel more optimistic about 2025 on both a personal and professional level:
- Demonstrate tangible investment in people.
- Build an inclusive growth culture.
- Continue to focus on staff wellbeing and support.
In the world of AI, your staff are your most important asset. They bring personality to your business. Without them, you’re just a process-based business — which puts your whole operation at risk of being taken over by automation.
Ultimately, employers should be personally invested in staff enrichment, growth, and wellbeing. You must cultivate an environment where people feel cared for and valuable. In doing so, you’ll create a genuine sense of optimism among your teams. Building strong, supportive employee-employer relationships will help both parties step into the great unknown and build something worthwhile together.
Sharing your vision for greater employee optimism
As business owners, our optimism comes from seeing the bigger picture. Our personal and professional drivers help us understand where we’re heading. But staff aren’t always privy to that picture.
Sharing your vision — and how it’s going to benefit others — creates commitment from your staff. When they can see where you’re going (and why), they can envisage themselves as part of that journey. And giving them your backing to achieve their goals within your vision makes their future just as bright as your own.
