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The latest trends in society and culture from The Harris Poll
Good morning from muggy NYC.
One Interesting Stat: 25: That’s the percentage gap we found in preference for alcohol among Gen Z as their go-to drink (25%) v. Millennials (50%). Our study aligns with a new study from our friends at Gallup, which finds that U.S. drinking has dropped to a new low. In addition to cannabis and non-alcoholic smoothies, Asahi’s CEO said in May that “streaming and social media have eaten into drinking’s share of ‘entertainment and joy’.
We have four new stories from our polling this week:
- The reputations of public and business leaders fall in our Best Leaders annual survey with U.S. News & World Report.
- Americans want a human financial advisor, but also one capable of using AI. (Northwestern Mutual-Harris Poll)
- Employers are becoming more cautious as they approach ’26 hiring plans, as we find with Express Employment Professionals.
- In a new Harris-Vanguard poll, charitable giving is recession-proof even in today’s uncertain economy.
Where Are The Leaders? U.S. News & World Report-Harris Poll
Each year, we partner with U.S. News & World Report to assess the state of leadership in America. People are expressing a deepening dissatisfaction with U.S. leadership across nearly every facet of society.
- Few role models: Over three-quarters (77%) of Americans say they don’t see any public leaders they admire or would want to emulate. Much the same about education leaders (74%), in health care (69%), and in business (61%).
- Values disconnect: (82%) believe the values held by business leaders don’t align with those of everyday Americans, and (72%) say the U.S. is experiencing a business leadership crisis.
- A significant number of Americans (85%) believe that most leaders prioritize their power, interests, and influence over the public’s interests.
- Americans associate political figures with leadership (56%), but fewer than a third (31%) consider them trustworthy.
Takeaway: “Americans are not only dissatisfied with political leaders, they’re disillusioned with leadership across the board. At a time when trust is critical to the functioning of our democracy and institutions, the public is demanding more character, courage, and clarity from those in power. Insights offered in this poll provide a data-driven foundation for understanding what Americans value in a leader and recognizing those who meet that standard,” said Dafna Linzer, Editorial Director at U.S. News.
Would You Trust AI With Your Money? Northwestern Mutual-Harris Poll
While Americans trust humans significantly more than AI for their financial planning, many are ok if they work together, our new survey with Northwestern Mutual shows.
- Americans overwhelmingly trust humans more than AI for financial planning, such as creating a retirement plan (56% v. 13%) or developing tailored and robust planning (53% v. 15%).
- A Financial advisor armed with AI, even better: Yet, nearly half (47%) would prefer to work with a financial advisor who understands and uses AI (Gen Z/MLS: 54%).
- Best of both: We’ve found with GitLab that even global executives believe human input for human-AI partnerships should be at least 50/50 (73%) rather than AI doing most of the work (27%).
Takeaway: “Financial planning isn’t just about numbers on a spreadsheet – it’s an emotional discussion around a person’s life goals. Clients want to discuss their options with a trusted financial advisor who understands their needs and the trade-offs associated with these big financial decisions at a human level,” explained Jeff Sippel, chief strategy officer at Northwestern Mutual.
U.S Employers Less Optimistic; More Cautious: Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll
Following the tepid July jobs report that led to a high-profile termination at the BLS, many U.S. employers are cautiously developing their hiring plans in our new study with Express Employment Professionals.
- Lingering doubts: A little over a third (37%) of U.S. hiring managers report a negative hiring outlook, up slightly from (30%) three months ago.
- Employers move cautiously: While most (58%) companies plan to increase their workforce in the second half of the year, this is down from (63%) in the fall of 2024.
- Over half (54%) point to cost-cutting as the primary driver. But AI is a factor too.
- Worried workers: the majority (56%) of employees are now concerned about their job security.
Takeaway: “These numbers tell a story of employers recalibrating,” said Bob Funk, Jr., CEO, President, and Chairman of Express Employment International. “They’re still hiring, but with more intention, more strategy, and a sharper eye on the future.”
Charitable Giving Is Recession-Proof: Vanguard Charitable
Ok, finally some good news! We found in new research with Vanguard that even during uncertain economic times, Americans are committed to charitable giving.
- In the last six months, (70%) of Americans have donated to at least one charity.
- And most of those who have donated (87%) plan to contribute the same amount or even moreover the next six months.
- Donating means something in this economy: Over a third of those (36%) planning to maintain or increase their donations are doing so because they believe it’s their civic duty to support causes that matter most to them during market fluctuations.
Takeaway: “Americans continue to view charitable giving as a vital part of civic life, especially when communities are facing pressing challenges,” said Elaine Kenig, chief communications officer at Vanguard Charitable.
