4 Min Read
The latest trends in society and culture from The Harris Poll
Good afternoon from NYC.
One Interesting Number: 26.2 Million. That’s the number of employees hoping to treat Super Bowl Monday like an unofficial floating holiday with their pre-approved days off, shift swapping, sick calls, and ghosting (UKG-Harris Poll).
Are Jobs That Use Your Hands More AI-Proof?
Perhaps except a keyboard, Americans believe the future of a sustainable career is in their hands–– literally, according to our research with the Business for Good Foundation featured in Business Insider.
- What we found: Three-quarters of Americans believe jobs requiring hands-on experience are less likely to be replaced by AI.
- The stat you can’t ignore: The same number (75%) agree, “hands-on skills and practical experience matter more than formal degrees when it comes to future career success”.
- What to consider: Even AI-leading firms point to potential booms in blue-collar work. In fact, most Americans believe a plumber has better job security than a product manager, according to our polling. Meanwhile, Gen Z, frustrated by the shortage of entry-level jobs, is increasingly drawn to blue-collar startups like Pinks’ Window Services, which embody a new hands-on career far removed from AI (at least for now).
What this means: “You’ve got a lot of people that have historically didn’t think the American dream was for them,” Ed Mitzen, cofounder of the Business for Good Foundation. “I would argue that it isn’t broken, it’s just moved to places we stop looking.” Indeed, our data show that three in four say what they consider a “good job” today differs from five years ago, and that the stigma around trade/blue-collar work has been declining.
Gen Z: “We’re Not Relationship-Ready, Just Yet”
It’s more thoughtful than simply fear of commitment: According to our new Match-Harris Poll Human Connection Study in Fortune, many young Americans are working on themselves before jumping into a long-term relationship.
- What we found: Most Gen Z singles (80%) believe they’ll find true love – yet, nearly half (45%) say they’re not ready for a relationship.
- The stat you can’t ignore: Three-quarters (75%) say they aren’t hurrying to find a partner, believing they need to find themselves before committing to relationships. Many are also comfortable being alone (41%) and feel happy and fulfilled (41%).
- What to consider: “Young people want their relationships to be rooted in desire rather than practical needs,” says Dr. Justin Garcia from the Kinsey Institute.
What this means: As readiness becomes an increasingly distant target, Gen Z continues to seek connections online and offline. But they’re looking for lower-pressure interactions that could lead not only to new partners but also to friends, acquaintances, or something in between. Yet, when they’re ready, many Gen Zers are soft-launching their relationships on social media (46%), believing it proves commitment.
When Your Bad Credit Score Can Get You Dumped
Continuing with relationship advice, our latest survey with NerdWallet finds that financial problems are a swipe left in the dating world.
- What we found: Over half of Americans (54%) say a partner being dishonest about their financial situation is a dealbreaker, as is asking to borrow money (46%).
- The stat you can’t ignore: Yet, half of American couples (50%) say they’ve lied about or withheld financial information from their current partner. The most common lie is about purchases (18%), followed by giving or lending money to a friend or family member (16% each).
- What to consider: Today, paying off debt and having a healthy credit score can help your dating prospects. We found that Gen Z/Millennials are 3x more likely to say bad credit is a bigger turnoff than bad hygiene.
What this means: In this economy, I guess it’s ok to be smelly, as long as you’re solvent. As NerdWallet’s Sara Rathner says, “The whole point of dating is figuring out if you’re compatible. If some money issue gives either of you ‘the ick’, then at least it’s out there. You can discuss it and compromise, or set each other free to find a better match.”
