Greek Business Leaders Express Cautious Optimism in Annual SEV Report

09:15 8/5/2025 - Πηγή: iEfimerida

The Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV) annual survey, “The Pulse of Entrepreneurship,” released Thursday, indicates a cautiously optimistic view of the current Greek economy among business

leaders, while highlighting increasing concerns about the future.

Presenting the findings, SEV President Spyros Theodoropoulos acknowledged improvements in the macroeconomic environment but stressed that “significant challenges remain.”

The MRB-conducted survey revealed that medium-sized enterprises are facing the most pressure, lacking the scale of larger firms and the agility of smaller ones.

Key Findings:

Business Sentiment & Economic Outlook: While 66.3% of businesses view the current state of the country as positive or neutral, negative expectations for the coming year have risen to 32.7% (from 26% in 2023), and positive forecasts have fallen to 14.5%.

Company Performance: A majority (54.9%) reported an increase in turnover over the past year, with 43.6% expecting continued growth in 2025.

Hiring & Workforce Stability: Over 92% of businesses plan to maintain or increase staffing in 2025, with 72.4% keeping workforce levels steady and 20% planning to hire.

Wage Increases Expected: 52.4% of firms intend to raise salaries in 2025, primarily to reward performance (62.3%) and retain talent (47.4%). Industrial firms lead this trend, with nearly 80% planning pay raises.

Investment Outlook: Investment momentum has slowed, with only 20.4% planning to increase spending, down from 22.8% in 2023. Nearly half (49.2%) do not plan any investment in the coming year.

Top Barriers: Small and medium businesses cite energy costs, high taxation, and labor-related charges as major obstacles. Large firms face challenges from labor shortages, bureaucracy, and employment taxes.

Climate Change Concerns: 50.7% of businesses believe the climate crisis will significantly impact operations over the next five years.

Artificial Intelligence Adoption: AI adoption remains slow, with 55.1% of firms having no AI plans for the next year. Only 25.4% have taken initial steps, while 18.5% aim to begin AI initiatives in 2025.

The findings reflect both progress and persistent structural hurdles in Greece’s business environment as the country navigates an increasingly complex global economic landscape.

By Yiorgos Pappous

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Greek Business Leaders Express Cautious Optimism,Annual SEV Report