During the 2008 financial crisis, many Americans believed that the economy would collapse and the uncertainty of labor was widespread. In two Polls Since the beginning of 2009, only 10% said it was a good time to find a quality job. The lyrics in a popular country music song from the 1970s, “Take this job and push it”, were reinstated and done “get this job and love it” as those with jobs were deeply concerned about their maintenance.
To one Reading the University of Michigan in mid -August From consumer -feeling surveys, the share of consumers expecting unemployment to worsen the following year was about 60%, a reading last observed during the financial crisis. While The Statistical Work Office It tells us that the unemployment rate has moved to a narrow range of 4.0% to 4.2% for more than a year, Americans are not convinced. To Mid-August Economist/Yougov Survey, 32% said the unemployment rate increased and a 22% decrease. Americans are more concerned about a possible recession with one third the last Economist/Yougov poll saying we are already in one. Still, polls say that the belief that unemployment is a very or somewhat serious problem has changed little last year.
There are several reasons for the stability of the reaction to the severity of unemployment. First, Americans see inflation as a much more serious threat than unemployment and worry that President Trump’s invoices will make things worse. To Data from the University of MichiganSpontaneous references to plans for the purchase of important items in advance to reduce the impact of invoices increased in 2016, when Trump’s first Trumpeted invoices and then increased again after the implementation of invoices in specific items such as washing machines in 2018.
Another reason that views on the severity of unemployment have not changed much in the past year is because most Americans feel confident their own Work insurance, even if they are worried about other workers. In The last gallup5% of adult -employed adults said they were very likely and 10% somewhat likely to lose work or be fired next year. Fifty percent said this was not likely and another 34% was not very likely. For those who have jobs, the worry is low.
Gallup has asked a different question about the satisfaction from the safety of work annually since 2001 and occasionally before that. To 2024 answers, 57% of adults who employed full or part -time said they were completely satisfied with the safety of their work, 26% somewhat satisfied, 8% slightly unhappy and 5% completely unhappy. The “completely satisfied” answer has fallen slightly from the low sixties in recent years, but it was still strong. In Reading December 2024 of Pew33% said they had a lot of work insurance, 36% a fair amount and 17%. Only 8% said they had a little and 5% at all. These answers did not change little by 2023.
An interesting interest: At the time of Pew’s research in late 2024 before the Donald Trump’s Federal Labor Cuts begin, government workers It was much more likely than other groups to say that they had a lot of work insurance. Forty -seven percent of them, compared to 29% of private sector workers, gave this answer.
The general pessimism of Americans for the economy as a whole now and the concern about the prospects for their colleagues are forcing most workers to stay their current jobs. In Pew’s survey, only 11% said they were very likely to be looking for a job for the next 12 months, while 14% said it was a bit likely. Sixty -three percent in Pew’s survey said it was very or somewhat unlikely to do so. In Gallup’s latest data18% said they were watching or actively looking for a new job. More than a quarter gave this answer to questions raised in 2014 and 2021 before Covid’s interference and made the prospect of changing jobs remote. For some, “Hogging Job” has replaced “Hopping Job”.
The data gives us a separation screen. Americans are worried about the difficulty of people without jobs. At the same time, as we approach the working day, most employed people are confident enough of their own job. Both things are true. Tomorrow’s column will consider what people say about different characteristics of their jobs.
