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The latest trends in society and culture from The Harris Poll
Good afternoon from New York,
One Interesting Stat: 71. More than seven in 10 TikTok users want brands on the platform. Our CSO, Libby Rodney, talked with Sofia Hernandez, TikTok’s Head of Global Business Marketing & Sponsorship, who said, “brands need to stop consuming culture, and start cultivating it”. Check out their conversation here.
We have four new stories from our polling this week.
- Our new ETS study of HR professionals reveals what talent skills are valued in the AI era.
- American women are “Recession Preppers”, finds a new Guardian-Harris Poll.
- A Harris Zillow study can help you avoid losing thousands when selling your home.
- American summer travel seems inflation-proof, in a new OAAA Harris Poll.
HR’s Take On Tomorrow’s Talent: ETS-Harris Poll
In a world of AI, what skills are needed by managers? Our new 2025 ETS Human Progress Report: HR Edition (full report here) gives a rare inside glimpse into how HR leaders will assess tomorrow’s talent. Here’s what 1,000 CHROs and HR decision-makers with 500+ employees say:
- Look beyond degrees: Most Chief Human Resources Officers (90%) agree their organization is finding the need to hire outside the standard 4-year college degree.
- A similar number of HR decision-makers (86%) say that leveraging college degrees as a filter is a dated practice, leaving talent on the table.
- HR decision-makers also report that verifying skill sets (73%) and upskilling or reskilling employees (70%) are key challenges this year.
- AI proficiency lacking: While (67%) of HR decision-makers say AI literacy is an essential skill for new hires, only (39%) of US employees report being proficient in this area.
Takeaway: “This report highlights an important shift underway in the workforce,” says Tanner Jackson, General Manager of Corporate Solutions at ETS. “As organizations navigate rapid change, moving beyond traditional degree requirements and prioritizing skills, especially in areas like AI literacy, will be essential to building resilient, future-ready teams.”
American Women Are Recession Prepping: The Guardian-Harris Poll
Suppose you’re wondering whether consumers will start pulling back on spending in preparation for a recession. In that case, the answer is already here, says our CSO Libby Rodney in our recent collaboration with The Guardian.
- Two-thirds of American women (67%) are adjusting their budgeting and shopping behaviors in preparation for a recession.
- As women are the unacknowledged CFOs of American households, women in relationships report being primarily responsible for their household’s shopping (70%) and tracking household expenses (59%).
- More women today have cut back on their discretionary spending (62% vs. 48%), switched to lower-cost brands (56% vs. 45%), and entered “low-buy mode” (46% vs. 39%).
- Their recession-prep moves extend beyond the aisles: Women are 13 percentage points more likely to be shoring up their emergency funds than men (76% vs. 63%).
Takeaway: “When you’re the one physically watching milk prices climb from $3.99 to $5.49, when you’re the one researching childcare costs that rival mortgage payments, when you’re the one making daily decisions about whether to buy name-brand or generic—you develop a different relationship with economic “indicators” than someone tracking their 401k from an app,” writes Libby (check out her full breakdown here).
The Selling Mishap Costing Homeowners Thousands: Zillow-Harris Poll
Our new survey with Zillow reveals the common mistakes that can cost home sellers thousands of dollars.
- Investing in the wrong projects: A quarter (23%) of homeowners believe that building an addition offers the best ROI when preparing a home for sale, whereas in reality, simple updates like fresh paint and landscaping deliver a higher return on investment.
- Screen appeal is the new curb appeal: Many buyers make up their minds about a home after viewing it online, yet (40%) of homeowners believe great curb appeal makes the best first impression. (Don’t forget to make your house Insta-worthy)
- Stop with the secrets: More than half of homeowners (56%) think sellers should hide issues like structural problems (19%), pest infestations (15%), water damage (15%), or asbestos (14%) to sell a home faster. (Just so you know, that can be illegal, so please keep it honest.)
- Get your home out there: Most homeowners (70%) do understand that listing a home publicly on all major real estate portals gives the best chance of earning the most money.
Takeaway: “Many sellers assume that big, expensive renovations will guarantee a higher sale price,” said Christina Pappas, president of The Keyes Company and Illustrated Properties in Miami. “In reality, buyers respond more to a thoughtful presentation: smart pricing, polished staging, a high-impact digital presence, and strategic updates like a fresh coat of paint. A strong first impression gets buyers in the door.”
Americans Hit The Road: OAAA-Harris Poll
Despite inflation and a rocky economy, more Americans are driving today than before the pandemic, according to our new study with OAAA.
- Over four in five Americans (83%) plan to travel for leisure by plane, bus, car, or train this summer.
- Nearly four in 10 Americans are driving more today than during COVID, while (58%) have walked around a city in the last week.
- And more trips are closer to home, allowing for visits to shopping districts and local attractions.
- We found that (66%) of younger Americans have planned a trip around visiting a retail store they wanted to see in person.
- “More than half of consumers say they have added a destination to their bucket list after seeing it in an OOH ad on highways, city streets, or airport concourses,” said Anna Bager, President and CEO, OAAA.
Takeaway: Delta’s stock surged this morning on forecasting stronger than expected third-quarter earnings. Ed Bastian, CEO, told the Wall Street Journal, “We’re in a very different place than we were ninety days ago”, citing more confident consumers who have priced in tariff uncertainty and are returning to the skies. They did point out that premium ticket sales are up 5%, while main cabin sales are down the same amount. It’s still a tale of two economies for many Americans.
