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Whipsawed, Precarious, and Pessimistic: Americans’ Changing Views About the Economy and Labor Market During a Decade of Fundamental Change

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English

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Despite significant improvements in the labor market since the Great Recession and the depths of the pandemic, and with historically low levels of unemployment, Americans’ attitudes about the economy have soured, according to Work Trends surveys conducted over more than a decade by the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University.

A new brief from the Heldrich Center examines Americans’ opinions about the labor market and an array of economic indicators, including the cost of living, which remains Americans’ greatest concern.

The brief also explores Americans' opinions by income and age, with America’s lowest earners most concerned about the job market, the unemployment rate, and the ability to financially support their households. The latest Work Trends survey was conducted April 7 to 10, 2023 of a national probability sample of 1,026 U.S. adults age 18 and older.

The brief was written by Carl Van Horn, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Public Policy at Rutgers University and Director of the Heldrich Center, and Jessica Starace, MPP, Research Associate.

Tagline

A new brief from the Heldrich Center examines Americans’ opinions about the labor market and economy.

Whipsawed, Precarious, and Pessimistic: Americans’ Changing Views About the Economy and Labor Market During a Decade of Fundamental Change

heldrich_robb — Tue, 02 May 2023 11:27:04 +0000

Whipsawed, Precarious, and Pessimistic: Americans’ Changing Views About the Economy and Labor Market During a Decade of Fundamental Change

Topic

American economy

Labor Market

heldrich_robb Tue, 05/02/2023 - 11:27

Published Date

May 3, 2023

Type

Work Trends Reports

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Work Category

Attachments

Whipsawed_Precarious_and_Pessimistic.pdf (3.78 MB)

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Tagline

Analysis about Americans' attitudes about the economy and labor market.

Press Release - Healing the Wounded Economy Survey Report

heldrich_robb — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 12:23:34 +0000

Press Release - Healing the Wounded Economy Survey Report

Published Date

January 11, 2021

heldrich_robb Mon, 03/29/2021 - 12:23

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Topic

Related Experts

https://heldrich.rutgers.edu/sites/default/files/2021-03/Work_Trends_Healing_the_Wounded_Economy_January_2021.pdf

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 11, 2021

CONTACTS

Professor Carl Van Horn, vanhorn@rutgers.edu / (848) 932-1153

Robb C. Sewell, Communications Manager, rcsewell@ejb.rutgers.edu

The report with methodological statement is available at the following link:

New Brunswick, NJ -

A national survey of Americans finds…

Large majorities of Americans who support both major political parties support government spending on infrastructure projects, aid to small businesses, and temporary community service jobs and paid family leave.
Government spending on infrastructure projects is the most popular policy option among Americans (94%). Temporary financial assistance to small businesses (89%), funding temporary community service jobs (85%), and giving workers access to paid family leave (82%) also garner significant support.
Large majorities support aid to state and local governments to avert layoffs of essential workers (86%), extending Unemployment Insurance benefits (79%), and paying for education and job training (74%). A majority of both Democrats and Republicans support these policies.
One in two Americans believe that the government is primarily responsible for helping laid-off workers — the largest percentage of Americans holding that view since the Great Recession.

The Heldrich Center for Workforce Development’s December 2020 Work Trends survey, Healing the Wounded Economy, explores Americans’ opinions during a deep recession and public health crisis, and on the eve of the inauguration of a new president. The study reports the results from a national sample of over 800 respondents in a general population survey conducted between December 4 and 14, 2020 and has a sampling error of +/- 3.77%. The report also compares findings from the post-election survey with a pre-election survey conducted between October 21 and November 1, 2020 and with previous Heldrich Center surveys conducted during and after the Great Recession.

The post-election national survey finds that Americans are eager for the government to take action to ease the economic pain of the recession brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. It also finds striking agreement from large majorities of Americans who support both the Democratic and Republican parties.

Professor Carl Van Horn, Director of both the Heldrich Center and the Work Trends project, commented, “Despite the deep divisions on who should lead the nation, there is overwhelming support for policy actions to help workers and heal the economy.”

Among other findings of the Rutgers University-based survey are:

When comparing the Heldrich Center’s pre-election survey of Americans with its post-election survey, there were no meaningful differences in opinion by Democrats or Republicans on policy options tested in both surveys, including extending Unemployment Insurance, creating community service jobs, and paying for education/training for laid-off workers or in their confidence in Joe Biden to manage the economy.
Americans who support the Democratic and Republicans parties say that cooperation to strengthen the economy is very important, but most doubt that will happen.
Democrats are somewhat confident that President-elect Biden’s policies will lower the unemployment rate, create jobs, and boost the stock market. Republicans have lower expectations.

The John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development is based at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. It is one of the nation’s leading university-based research and policy centers dedicated to raising the effectiveness of the American workplace through improved workforce education, placement, and training. The center identifies innovative workforce practices and practical policy changes that can help Americans receive the education and training they need to be productive and prosperous in a global knowledge economy. Learn more at www.heldrich.rutgers.edu.

The American Association for Public Opinion Research honored the Heldrich Center’s Work Trends research on the Great Recession with its Policy Impact Award in 2013.

Tagline

Provides key findings from a recent Work Trends study on Americans' views of the economic impact of the pandemic.

Press Release - Twin Crises: The Economic Impact of COVID-19 and Americans’ Outlook for the Future

heldrich_robb — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 12:00:55 +0000

Press Release - Twin Crises: The Economic Impact of COVID-19 and Americans’ Outlook for the Future

Published Date

January 28, 2021

heldrich_robb Mon, 03/29/2021 - 12:00

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Topic

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https://heldrich.rutgers.edu/sites/default/files/2021-03/Work_Trends_Twin_Crises_January_2021.pdf

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday January 28, 2021

CONTACTS

Professor Carl Van Horn, vanhorn@rutgers.edu / (848) 932-1153

Robb C. Sewell, Communications Manager, rcsewell@ejb.rutgers.edu

The report with methodological statement is available at the following link:

New Brunswick, NJ -

As Joe Biden begins his presidency and confronts the twin crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic recession, a national survey of Americans finds:

9 in 10 Americans (91%) are concerned, worried, or scared when thinking about themselves, their families, and the national economy. Just 1 in 10 of supporters of both political parties are unconcerned (9% of Democrats and 10% of Republicans).
1 in 2 Americans are worried about their ability to financially support their families (53%) and one quarter of Americans (26%) say they “often don’t have enough money to make ends meet.”
More than half of Americans say they are very or somewhat concerned about the amount of stress in their lives (63%).
While Americans are profoundly concerned about the pandemic’s impact on the economy, they are less concerned about the job market and job security than they were in January 2013 and as the economy struggled to recover from the Great Recession.
A slim majority of Americans surveyed at the end of 2020 are optimistic that overall economic conditions will improve in 2021 (46%). A third (30%) are concerned that conditions will deteriorate, and the rest expect no change (24%).
Most Americans say that the U.S. economy is undergoing fundamental and lasting changes, rather than a temporary downturn, which are similar to opinions gathered in a Work Trends survey of Americans 10 years ago. Less than half of Americans think jobs, careers, and employment will be better for the next generation.
8 in 10 Americans say the political parties in government working together to repair the economy is important. Large majorities — ranging from 80% to 95% — support government spending on infrastructure projects, aid to small businesses, temporary community service jobs, paid family leave, and aid to state and local governments to avert layoffs of essential workers (see Healing the Wounded Economy).

The Heldrich Center for Workforce Development’s December 2020 Work Trends survey, Twin Crises: The Economic Impact of COVID-19 and Americans’ Outlook for the Future, explored Americans’ opinions during a deep recession and public health crisis. The study reports the results from a national sample of over 800 respondents in a general population survey conducted between December 4 and 14, 2020 and has a sampling error of +/- 3.77%. The report also compares findings from the post-election survey with a pre-election survey conducted between October 21 and November 1, 2020 and with Heldrich Center surveys conducted during and after the Great Recession.

Professor Carl Van Horn, Director of both the Heldrich Center and the Work Trends project, commented, “Americans are experiencing dire financial and emotional trauma from the pandemic-driven recession and worry that these negative realities will linger for many years.”

Among other findings of the Rutgers University-based survey are:

More than 1 in 2 Americans say jobs moving overseas, competition from other countries, and the government in Washington, D.C. are major threats to the country’s workers. The results are unchanged from opinions measured in 2018 when unemployment was at historic lows, revealing underlying anxieties about the economic future of the country.
While 9 in 10 Democrats (91%) and Republicans (90%) are concerned, worried, or scared about the economy, Democrats are more likely to say the economy will improve next year (73%) than Republicans (24%). In fact, 1 in 2 Republicans say economic conditions will be worse (53%).

Tagline

Provides key findings from a recent Work Trends study on Americans' views of the economic impact of the pandemic and American workers' views of the future.

Healing the Wounded Economy

heldrich_robb — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 18:43:13 +0000

Healing the Wounded Economy

Topic

Pandemic Recession

Economic Recovery

heldrich_robb Fri, 03/26/2021 - 18:43

Type

Work Trends Reports

Related Authors

Work Category

Attachments

Work_Trends_Healing_the_Wounded_Economy_January_2021.pdf (6.86 MB)

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Key findings include:

Large majorities of Americans who support both major political parties support government spending on infrastructure projects, aid to small businesses, and temporary community service jobs and paid family leave.
Government spending on infrastructure projects is the most popular policy option among Americans (94%). Temporary financial assistance to small businesses (89%), funding temporary community service jobs (85%), and giving workers access to paid family leave (82%) also garner significant support.
Large majorities support aid to state and local governments to avert layoffs of essential workers (86%), extending Unemployment Insurance benefits (79%), and paying for education and job training (74%). A majority of both Democrats and Republicans support these policies.
One in two Americans believe that the government is primarily responsible for helping laid-off workers — the largest percentage of Americans holding that view since the Great Recession.
When comparing the Heldrich Center’s pre-election survey of Americans with its post-election survey, there were no meaningful differences in opinion by Democrats or Republicans on policy options tested in both surveys, including extending Unemployment Insurance, creating community service jobs, and paying for education/training for laid-off workers or in their confidence in Joe Biden to manage the economy.
Americans who support the Democratic and Republicans parties say that cooperation to strengthen the economy is very important, but most doubt that will happen.
Democrats are somewhat confident that President-elect Biden’s policies will lower the unemployment rate, create jobs, and boost the stock market. Republicans have lower expectations.

Tagline

This national Work Trends survey finds that Americans are eager for the government to take action to ease the economic pain of the recession brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. It also finds striking agreement from large majorities of Americans who support both the Democratic and Republican parties.

Work Trends Surveys Featured in Article and Podcast

heldrich_robb — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 17:06:27 +0000

Work Trends Surveys Featured in Article and Podcast heldrich_robb Fri, 03/26/2021 - 17:06

Type

Announcement

Topic

Pandemic Recession

Related Experts

U.S. Labor Market & Industry

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EJB Talks, a podcast produced by the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, features Dr. Carl Van Horn discussing the surveys’ findings in a new episode titled, One Thing We Agree On: How the American Public Views the Economic Crisis.

Additionally, the latest Work Trends survey report, Twin Crises: The Economic Impact of COVID-19 and Americans’ Outlook for the Future, is profiled in a new Rutgers Today article titled, More Americans Worried About the Future of the Labor Market.

Tagline

The Heldrich Center’s recent Work Trends reports are profiled in a new podcast and article.

A Glass Half Full or Half Empty? Americans Agree the Economy is Strong, but Worry about the Future: Media Release

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 15:18:29 +0000

A Glass Half Full or Half Empty? Americans Agree the Economy is Strong, but Worry about the Future: Media Release

Topic

Research Publications & Reports

job market

admin Thu, 10/22/2020 - 15:18

Published Date

August 28, 2018

Type

Related Authors

Work Category

U.S. Labor Market & Industry

Attachments

Work_Trends_Media_Release_August_2018_Revised_0.pdf (121.63 KB)

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Media release for August 2018 Work Trends survey report, which explored Americans' views of jobs and the economy.

Tagline

Media release for August 2018 Work Trends survey report.

A Glass Half Full or Half Empty? Americans Agree the Economy is Strong, but Worry about the Future: Media Release (full report)

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 15:18:29 +0000

A Glass Half Full or Half Empty? Americans Agree the Economy is Strong, but Worry about the Future: Media Release (full report)

Topic

Unemployment & Reemployment

admin Thu, 10/22/2020 - 15:18

Published Date

August 30, 2018

Type

Work Trends Reports

Related Authors

Work Category