At a press conference held today Wednesday (7.5.2025), the Chairman of the Board of Directors. of Seb Spyros Theodoropoulos, the results of the annual opinion survey of the opinion were presented business “The Business Pulp”, which BSE carries out in collaboration with MRB.
Research gives businesses to businesses, regardless of industry or size, to highlight the critical issues that affect their growth perspective, daily operation, business environment, and challenges of the next day. Opening the interview, Mr. Theodoropoulos noted that “the Greek economy is evaluated today, no doubt, positive. But concerns about the future are real and intensify. We recognize that businesses are trying, the macroeconomic environment is improving, but many challenges remain. In BSE we represent businesses of all sizes – small, medium and large. “
“From the constant contact we have with our members, we had already found that the medium -sized businesses are the ones that are the most pressure. They have neither the size and infrastructure of the adults, nor the flexibility and speed of reaction. The research we present today comes to confirm this picture. This imprinting of reality is critical. It helps us to focus on the essential needs of businesses and to work on practical and effective solutions, “said the BSE president.
Immediately afterwards, Mr. Dimitris Mavros, chief executive of MRB Hellas, presented in detail the findings of the research. According to them:
1. Businesses positively evaluate the country’s current situation, but their concerns about the future are increasing
As for the current situation in the country, 66.3% of businesses evaluate it positively or neutral, while 33.8% evaluate it negatively. For the next 12 months, businesses appear more anxious than last year, as negative expectations rise from 26% to 32.7% and positively reduced from 23.9% to 14.5% (estimates for stability are 44.4% to 48.4%).
2. For their own course, business appears satisfied, but respectively their concerns about the future are increasing
For the second year, the assessment of their own course continues to rise with 54.9% of businesses declaring that his turnover increased. Slightly more restrained are businesses for their turnover in the next 12 months, with 43.6% predicting it will increase.
3. Despite the concern, in 2025, over 9 in 10 businesses will either increase or keep their staff stable
In 2024, business staff were maintained primarily (68.7%). 21% of businesses increased the number of its employees, while 9.3% made reductions. For 2025, 92.4%of businesses say it will either keep it stable (72.4%) or increase their staff (20%). 4.3% say they will reduce staff.
4. More than half of businesses will give salaries in 2025. The highest percentage of businesses to increase in industry is recorded in industry (79.4%). The main reason for increases is the reward of workers’ performance
Overall, 52.4%of businesses will give salaries in 2025, with more important reasons for rewarding performance (62.3%) and maintaining talent against competition (47.4%). At the industry level, the industry is followed by constructions (66.7%) and services (60.2%).
5. Businesses continue to invest, although to a lesser extent
20.4% of businesses predict that it will increase their investment in the next 12 months (Vs. 22.8% in 2023), while 25.5% will keep them stable (Vs. 30.3% in 2023). It increases to 49.2% from 37% in 2023, the percentage of businesses it says will not invest.
6. They remain the timeless obstacles that affect the operation and development of businesses
For medium and small businesses, the three most important obstacles are energy costs (93.9% and 78.1% respectively), business taxation (86.8% and 82% respectively) and taxes and insurance contributions to work (85.5% and 83.8% respectively). For large businesses, the main challenges are human resources shortages (71.5%), bureaucracy (69.6%) and taxes and insurance contributions (68.9%).
7. For over half business, climate crisis is a problem for their operation in the next five years
For one in two companies (50.7%), the climate crisis is a big problem for their operation over the next five years.
8. In the AI, businesses are moving cowardly. Over half, they are not planning any relevant initiative for next year
One in four companies (25.4%) do “something” in relation to AI (mainly in the early stages of utilization or implement pilot programs AI), while 18.5% plan to start a program AI within the following year. 55.1% of businesses have no plans for any initiative on AI in the next 12 months.
The utilization of AE in business has been examined in the depths of this year’s Businesspulse and the relevant findings will be presented in detail at the BSE conference on “AI in practice: How to apply artificial intelligence in our businesses” on Monday, May 12, 2025, at the Athens Conservatory. The conference, which has a great response from the members of the Association, aims to highlight applicable solutions to integrate artificial intelligence into businesses of all sectors and sizes.