2025 has been a year defined by rapid workplace transformation.
Businesses have been balancing hybrid work, increased cybersecurity pressures, rising expectations around sustainability and the growing influence of AI and automation. The simple takeaway is that most businesses’ focus was on clarity, resilience and smarter workplace technology. Throughout the year, Ethos supported teams by helping them streamline operations, strengthen security and work more efficiently.
Here are the key themes that shaped 2025, along with the questions business leaders most frequently asked us at Ethos.
How Did Businesses Use AI and Automation to Work Smarter?
AI and automation have become essential tools, rather than long-term aspirations. Business leaders wanted practical ways to reduce manual work, improve accuracy and speed up everyday tasks.
How businesses applied automation to remove inefficiencies
- Reducing manual data entry and processing
- Digitising paper-heavy workflows
- Improving access to key documents
- Using Microsoft 365 Copilot to save time on writing, reporting and analysis
- Increasing accuracy across finance, HR and operational processes
As soon as teams experienced tangible time savings, confidence in adopting AI-driven tools increased significantly.
How Did Businesses Strengthen Their Cyber Resilience?
Cybersecurity remained one of the biggest concerns throughout 2025. With hybrid work now the norm and attacks becoming increasingly sophisticated, businesses are seeking clear, honest advice on reducing risk.
Common cybersecurity improvements businesses requested
- Stronger endpoint protection across all devices
- Tighter identity and access management
- Dark web monitoring to detect compromised credentials
- Secure remote access for hybrid teams
- More reliable backup and disaster recovery
Government data revealed that 27% of UK businesses experienced a cyber incident in the past year. Ethos supported customers by focusing on practical, immediately actionable steps that strengthened security without disrupting productivity.
What Changed in the Hybrid Work Experience?
Hybrid working continued to mature. Businesses were less focused on where employees worked and more concerned with providing a consistent and frustration-free experience.
Challenges businesses wanted to overcome
- Unreliable meeting rooms
- Inconsistent device quality
- Cluttered collaboration tools
- Staff frustration with outdated or slow technology
Solutions that helped businesses modernise hybrid work
- Microsoft Teams and Zoom-compatible AV
- Room in a Box meeting room solutions
- Device as a Service to keep devices up to date without major capital spend
- Cloud-based collaboration platforms for seamless teamwork
The clearest insight from 2025: Hybrid work is successful when the experience is equal for everyone, regardless of where they work.
Why Did Sustainability Shape More Technology Decisions?
Sustainability has moved from being a target to becoming a measurable and operational priority. Businesses wanted to reduce waste, cut energy use and demonstrate environmental responsibility through everyday workplace decisions.
Top sustainability actions of 2025
- Reducing unnecessary print volumes
- Introducing energy-efficient devices
- Tracking and offsetting print output with PrintReleaf
- Designing paper-light workflows
- Increasing the lifespan of existing equipment
Ethos continued to champion sustainable print through its partnership with PrintReleaf.
In 2025, Ethos and its customers offset more than 107 million printed pages, replanting over 12,800 trees and reforesting more than 128 acres.
These figures illustrate how everyday print decisions can lead to measurable environmental benefits.
What Problems Did Businesses Solve Through Technology Projects?
Across various sectors, including legal, manufacturing, retail, and charities, businesses consistently face similar challenges. They wanted to modernise without disruption and improve efficiency without adding complexity.
Common problems addressed in 2025
- Fragmented or outdated systems
- Rising infrastructure and print costs
- Security gaps across print and IT
- Manual processes that slowed down teams
- Lack of visibility across devices and workflows
Improvements Ethos helped businesses achieve
- Cloud print and document management to reduce infrastructure
- Secure, GDPR-aligned workflows
- Enhanced visibility across print, IT and AV environments
- Faster, more efficient production print operations
- Automated processes that removed repetitive tasks
These upgrades helped businesses reduce costs, strengthen compliance and create more scalable and sustainable working environments.
FAQ and Key Takeaways
What was the most influential workplace trend of 2025?
AI and automation supporting everyday tasks and reducing manual workload.
What worried business leaders the most?
Cybersecurity, particularly protecting hybrid workers and connected devices.
Where did businesses see the fastest operational improvements?
Digitising manual workflows, reducing print waste and modernising collaboration tools.
Why did sustainability influence so many IT and print decisions?
It shaped compliance, procurement, reporting and long-term planning.
What did businesses ask for most often?
Technology that is simple, secure, reliable and easy for teams to use.
What Should Businesses Do Next?
If you want to explore how these workplace trends apply to your business or identify opportunities to improve efficiency, security or sustainability, Ethos can help you plan your next steps.
Speak with us today about Workplace Technology Services and how you can prepare for 2026.