Small Business Employer/ Employee Safety Divide

Safety professionals are probably more aware of the opinions of employees than most other company departments, due to the fact that this understanding determines if safety goals are being met. 

However, a recent survey from Pie Insurance, The Great Safety Divide, found that, similar to larger companies, small companies experience a perception gap when it comes to safety policies. 

In July, the company talked to 1,021 employees working at companies with 500 employees or under. In 2025, small companies account for nearly 46% of U.S. private sector employment, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The report discusses areas where employers and employees are aligned and those areas that don't match up.

First, where they do match up is that 67% of employees have safety concerns, and 83% of employers are able to identify the safety concerns of employees. 

Other survey results showed varying degrees of agreement. 

Safety Training

A surprising finding from the survey was that 63% of employers said they provide structured safety training, yet just 29% report having that training. And 28% of employees report never having received formal safety training. 

Preventing Injuries

This area is one where both groups agree that workplace injuries are preventable, with 50% of employees and 45% of employees agreeing.  

Communication Challenges

Reporting safety issues is essential to improving safety, yet 17% of workers say they are hesitant to report concerns. Almost half of employees (44%) said they might not clearly understand how to report injuries.

While others have a variety of reasons why employees don't speak up, including:.

• Fear retaliation or negative consequences (35%)
• Don't want to seem difficult   (33%)
• Think nothing would be done (31%) 
• Resolved it on my own (29%)
• Wasn't sure it was a valid concern (25%)
• Didn't want to get anyone in trouble  (19%)

However, a majority of workers, 65%, said they would intervene if they saw an unsafe situation. But only 27% reported actually intervening.

The gap between these two statistics could suggest "situational barriers beyond individual courage," the report notes. 

Mental Health Safety

This survey, which was compared to the company's 2025 State of Small Business Workplace Safety report, found that while employers focus on safety concerns around physical, environmental and equipment risks, employees are more focused on mental health concerns. 

This is evidenced by the fact that while 91% of employers are confident in their ability to address mental health issues, just 62% of employees share that confidence. 

Closing this gap is important since 32% cite mental health as their top safety concern.

Around 36% of employees report that workplace stress affects their personal lives, impacting relationships, sleep, and mental health. As the EHS field shifts toward viewing employees as whole individuals, understanding the connection between personal concerns and work productivity, this finding is particularly important. 

A gap arises when both groups are asked about the availability of mental health. While 52% of employers say they have mental health protocols, just 30% of employees observed having these protocols. 

To address this issue, 73% of employees say that some support from employers would make a meaningful difference. 

Other measures to ease stress include: 

• Flexible work hours (19%)
• Mental health days   (17%)
• Basic counseling or peer groups (12%) 

The report offers the following conclusions:

The employee perspective makes one thing clear: the definition of workplace safety is shifting. It’s no longer just about hard hats and accident logs; it’s about mental health, communication, and trust. Employees see nearly half of injuries as preventable, and many carry the stress of unsafe workplaces home with them. For small businesses, the message is urgent: those who expand their view of safety beyond the physical could prevent claims and reduce costs, but also build healthier, more resilient teams. In a tight labor market, that edge matters.