Employers are on the same page about the issues plaguing their workforce.
A new survey from Illinois-based risk management outfit Gallagher looked at what’s worrying the country’s employers in 2025, and you might see your own concerns reflected in the list, since it lines up with many of the social, technological and political winds blowing across the U.S. right now.
1. Worker retention
After the perennial concerns of raking in reliable revenues and sales, employee retention is the top issue on the minds of over 4,000 leaders surveyed by Gallagher, reflecting workers’ changing ideas about what constitutes a “career,” and as the pressures at work force some people to look for greener pastures.
Some of these changes are driven by the way Gen-Z thinks differently about the workplace, of course, and as the generation currently entering the workforce in ever-greater numbers, they may help set the trends. Gen-Z workers are known for valuing their mental health and work-life balance more than previous generations, and are rejecting traditional work culture norms — including being willing to ditch a job over issues like the Sunday Scaries.
Featured Video
An Inc.com Featured Presentation
2. Burnout
Meanwhile, social, economic and job-market instability, in addition to sweeping political changes, are adding to the pressure that the typical worker experiences. Which is likely why Gallagher’s data shows 67 percent of employers — more than two in every three — are also highly concerned about the mental health of their workers, HRDive reports.
Stress and burnout issues can have long-term impacts on worker morale, efficiency and engagement (possibly tempting some workers to quit) and ultimately this will impact a company’s profits. Yet the data show that while employers are deeply worried about these issues, they’re not stepping up with solutions: only 24 percent give mental health training to managers, leaders or HR teams — who are, according to other reports, deeply stressed out themselves. Also, less than half of employers say their leadership teams are “well-equipped” to refer stressed-out staff to mental health services. This, the report says, is a “critical gap” in worker support.
3. DEI
The third non-financial issue on employers’ minds is related to inclusion and diversity. This might be surprising, given the Trump administration’s pressure against DEI, but it seems that corporate America thinks very differently: 74 percent of employers say they’re implementing diversity and inclusion initiatives this year. While larger employees are more likely to follow this path than smaller ones (84 percent of large organizations) fully 67 percent of small companies are intent on pursuing inclusion and diversity—the report says they view it as a “stabilizing force during economic uncertainty.” Conscious of political background, perhaps, the report says companies are “refocusing their efforts,” even though the fundamental ideas remain.
One interesting aspect of inclusion Gallagher noted in its report is the role of buzzy AI tech. Employers are “leveraging it to reduce bias in recruitment, tailor engagement practices and support equitable decision-making,” the survey found. But, as with the issues in mental health training, few employers are stepping up with appropriate training for D&I: just 24 percent train workers by “embedding inclusive behaviors into their daily role.”
Meanwhile D&I plans continue to offer significant benefits, which may explain their ongoing enthusiasm. The report says companies investing in these plans are “best positioned to attract and retain top talent,” since they “not only build trust but also foster resilience for long-term success,” as do concerted efforts to boost worker engagement, and supply wellbeing support.
What companies can do
What can you take away from this list of worries? You may, after all, have very different top concerns in mind after surviving through most of 2025.
Primarily, it means you should probably reinforce your company’s efforts to retain staff in the long term, deal with their stresses before they reach burnout levels, and follow your own path on DEI (even if you call the plan something different.) The Gallagher report shows these are strong worry-driving trends across American industry, and thus may be affecting your staff even if you’re unaware of the problem.
Also, reinforcing your staff training may be a good idea: Gallagher’s data did, after all, show how corporate training in DEI and mental health matters is lagging behind, even as these worries unsettle employers across the country.