Pie Insurance, an insurtech specializing in commercial insurance for small businesses, today released its 2025 Small Business Employee Voice on Workplace Safety Report, revealing perception gaps between small business employers and employees on workplace safety priorities.
Serving as a companion to Pie’s April 2025 State of Workplace Safety Report, this comprehensive survey of over 1,000 small business employees shows alignment on core safety goals, with both groups agreeing that approximately half of workplace injuries were reported as preventable and that building safer workplaces is a top priority.
However, the research reveals that:
- More than 2 in 3 employees (67%) have safety concerns at work
- More than half of employees (58%) witnessed workplace injuries in the past year
- 43% report feeling pressured to work through unsafe conditions
Mental Health Emerges as Primary Employee Safety Concern
The report reveals a fundamental shift in safety priorities with 32% of employees citing mental health as their primary workplace safety worry, surpassing traditional concerns like physical injury (20%), environmental hazards (9%), or equipment safety (4%). This becomes more significant when considering that 91% of employers previously surveyed expressed confidence in their ability to address mental health issues, while only 62% of employees share that confidence.
The impact extends beyond working hours, with 36% of employees reporting workplace stress affects their personal lives, leading to reduced motivation, increased anxiety and sleep difficulties.
Communication and Training Gaps Present Opportunities
Pie’s 2025 Small Business Employee Voice on Workplace Safety report identifies key opportunities to build stronger safety cultures through improved communication and training. Most employees (83%) feel comfortable reporting safety concerns, but 17% hesitate to speak up. Of those hesitant workers, more than one-third worry about retaliation (35%), while others don’t want to seem difficult (33%) or doubt that action would be taken (31%).
Compared to responses in Pie’s 2025 State of Workplace Safety Report, 63% of employers believe they provide structured safety training, but only 29% of employees report receiving it regularly, with 28% never having received formal workplace safety training.
What Employees Want: Practical Solutions
Employees want practical solutions to safety like flexible work hours or remote options (19%), and mental health day allowances (17%). Safe spaces to voice concerns without fear of retaliation are also important, and 22% of employees want more participation in safety decision-making, indicating they want to be part of the solution.
“What I find most meaningful about this data is that it shows the gap between what employers think they’re providing and what employees actually experience, and that’s where the real opportunity lies,” said Carla Woodard, SVP of Claims at Pie. “Small businesses that close this divide by genuinely engaging employees in safety decisions won’t just prevent injuries, they’ll build modern safety cultures that attract top talent and deliver measurably safer outcomes. That’s the kind of competitive advantage you can’t buy.”
Business Impact
Report findings suggest that closing the safety divide between employers and employees isn’t just about new programs, it’s about ensuring existing efforts actually reach and resonate with workers. For small businesses competing in a tight labor market, addressing gaps could provide competitive advantages. Small businesses that bridge these perception gaps stand to improve both employee wellbeing and their bottom line.
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