When will your ship come in? According to a new Fast Company-Harris Poll, Americans aged 45-54 are the least likely to see wealth as attainable.

In a new Harris Poll conducted exclusively for Fast Company, people aged 45 to 54 were the least likely to see wealth as an achievable goal in the United States, with only 47% saying they agree that it’s possible to become wealthy or a part of the elite class. That’s compared to 60% of 18- to 34-year-olds and 56% of 35- to 44-year-olds. Baby boomers were also more likely to agree that wealth is achievable: 52% of 55- to 64-year-olds and 57% of people over 65 said so.

Gen X is typically defined as being born between 1965 and 1980, meaning older members of the generation are now in their fifties and possibly coming to terms with what they see as limited earning prospects as they inch closer to retirement. Overall, younger people in the survey—and younger men, in particular—were far more likely to see wealth as achievable, with 69% of men under 35 and 51% of women under 35 believing it is.

The survey of 1,008 U.S. adults was conducted in July and asked the following question:

“In the United States, becoming a member of the wealthy/elite class is an achievable goal.”

• 18-34: 60% agree / 18% strongly agree


• 35-44: 56% agree / 17% strongly agree


• 45-54: 47% agree / 7% strongly agree


• 55-64: 52% agree / 10% strongly agree


• Over 65: 57% agree / 15% strongly agree

Although Gen Xers brought down the average, it’s worth noting that Americans are still generally optimistic about the possibility of getting rich, with 55% seeing it as an achievable goal.

At the same time, and rather contradictorily, more than half of respondents (54%) also said members of their generation would be worse off than their parents. In that regard, it was older millennials and younger Gen Xers who showed the most pessimism, with 65% of 35- to 44-year-olds expecting to be worse off than their parents, the highest of any age group.

The National Football League remains the most dominant pro sport in the U.S.—but the National Basketball Association is beating it when it comes to younger generations, according to a new poll.

You don’t know the half of it

• Two-thirds of Millennials and Gen Zers fell into the first camp, compared to 55% of Gen Xers and 42% of Boomers.


• Still, a majority across the board felt retailers need to make greener efforts. And 53% of those who don’t even think sustainability is essential would still buy a sustainable product if they saw one.

• “All natural” and “eco-friendly” hold the most sway, while only about a quarter paid “carbon neutral” any notice.

• Last year, the US produced a record 407 billion square feet of corrugated materials as e-comm exploded.


• Last-mile delivery emissions are predicted to jump by 30+% across 100 cities worldwide by 2030, per a 2020 World Economic Forum study.—GT

Zoom has a plan for getting its users past "Zoom fatigue" as pandemic restrictions lift and we seek out more human interaction.

The video conferencing service, which doubled as a critical lifeline along with other video chat tools during the pandemic, announced Wednesday that it's rolling out new Apps and Events options.

A Zoom Apps Marketplace has been updated to support more than 50 Zoom apps that users can launch from within a chat.

Available apps including the productivity tool Asana, storage service Dropbox Spaces, and even games such as Heads Up. Zoom says more are in development or are coming soon.

"These innovations will enhance the ways in which we connect and collaborate with our colleagues, clients, friends, family members, and others, improving productivity and collaboration while maintaining elements of fun and well-being," said Eric Yuan, founder and CEO of Zoom in a statement.

Zoom, along with other video chat tools such as Microsoft Teams and Google Meet, played a key role in helping Americans adapt to life while working remotely. However, as governments lift COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, more employees will likely return to working at the office.

But the use of apps like Zoom likely won't go away. According to a Harris Poll survey conducted in May, 40% of Americans prefer to work from home full time, while another 35% want a hybrid schedule where they split up time between home and the office.

The apps could also help curb "Zoom fatigue." A study earlier this year from Stanford University attributed it to multiple causes including a lack of mobility and too much close-up eye contact.