America This Week Wave 237

We’re Not That Divided, Reskilling Instead of Hiring, We Love Coaches, and Why We Need to Hire More Boomers

The latest trends in society and culture from The Harris Poll

Good afternoon from New York. It’s hard to believe twenty-three years have passed since the horror of the 9/11 attacks. Our co-CEO John Gerzema was at our office in The Woolworth Building, three blocks away, when the first plane struck the North Tower. Please watch The FDNY special on 60 Minutes. It’s a master class on humanity and what makes America truly special. #Neverforget

Here’s how you can love America: Our partnership with Keep America Beautiful’s “Greatest American Cleanup” is a moonshot right here on earth to pick up twenty-five billion pieces of litter and beautify twenty-five thousand communities by July 4, 2026. Most Americans (57%) have noticed more litter in their neighborhoods in the past few years, according to our America This Week tracker, which was fielded from September 5th to 7th among 2,123 Americans.

This week, we have four new stories:

• Our co-CEO, Will Johnson, and two governors show America is less divided than we think.
• More hiring managers are turning to reskilling instead of outside hiring.
• Parents see the importance of coaches on and off the field.
• As America ages and fertility rates decline, Baby Boomers are more critical to the workforce.

We’re More Unified Than You’d Think: TIME-Harris Poll

In a compelling TIME op-ed, Governors Spencer Cox (UT), Wes Moore (MD), and our co-CEO, Will Johnson, argue that Americans are not as polarized as widely reported.

• Most Americans (60%) say they are receptive to new ideas, which shows considerable room for consensus.
• Further polling reveals both left and right overestimate the extremism of the other side by about (30%).
• And yet, while (79%) say they trust themselves to do the right thing, just half (51%) feel confident in respectfully expressing their beliefs to someone they disagree with.
• But what if we can? The majority (58%) recognize that democracy is stronger when citizens can have respectful discussions about topics they disagree with among each other.

Takeaway: Over the last two years, the number of Americans who see potential for broad agreement on kitchen table issues has actually increased. People are optimistic about the possibility of consensus on a range of priorities, including the economy, the environment, criminal justice, health care, education, and international relations.

Reskilling Is The New Hiring: Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll

Do you need to fill a position? Our new poll with Express Employment Professionals in HR Dive finds that hiring managers facing budget constraints are increasingly reskilling workers to both manage costs and fill jobs with certainty for their culture.

• Over two-thirds (68%) of hiring managers said their company plans to reskill employees this year, an increase of (8%-pts) from Spring 2021.
• Of those planning to reskill, most said they plan to offer company-led training sessions (71%) and on-the-job training by other employees (62%). Fewer will utilize third-party training courses (46%) or artificial intelligence (16%).
• Reskilling isn’t a fad: Most HR leaders previously surveyed by PeopleScout and Spotted Zebra said that half of their workforce would need to be reskilled within the next five years.
• Our research with ETS finds that (84%) globally agreed that “upskilling and reskilling isn’t a choice; it’s a necessity to compete in today’s job market.”

Takeaway: Reskilling current employees is a more predictable model than the hit-or-miss recruiting tactic for experience, John Roller, an Express franchise owner in New Hampshire. “By installing an in-house ‘skills development program,’ companies can select current employees with known work history and provide training for the missing skill sets. It’s a huge win-win, but it takes an investment and dedicated focus.”

Coaching’s High ROI: First Tee-Harris Poll

As sports increase in popularity and participation, parents increasingly see coaches developing their child’s confidence and resiliency in our poll with First Tee in Forbes.

• Eight in ten (83%) parents wish their child had more access to trustworthy coaches because (53%) say it increases their likelihood of long-term commitment to the sport.
• Parents seek out coaches who elevate their child’s skills and impart values: (91%) say, “I believe sports coaching should inspire my child to excel both on and off the field.”
• Over half think their children could learn life skills from coaches, including character development (63%), self-confidence (61%), and determination (59%).

Takeaway: Coaches need to win games, but parents see them as mentors and role models who lead by example and demonstrate the values they expect from their kids. With increasing concerns about mental health and digital overload, sports are essential to childhood development, and a coach’s influence extends beyond the gridiron, court, pitch, or diamond.

What Is Old?: Age Wave-Harris Poll

U.S. demographics are undergoing a significant shift, with older adults outnumbering youth under 18 for the first time in American history. Along with Age Wave, we found that the concept of “old” is being redefined, where eighty is the new sixty:

• Still looking ahead: A majority (71%) of those aged 65+ believe that the best time of their lives is now or yet to come.
• We need to reimagine meaningful roles for older adults: (83%) of those 65+ prioritize feeling “useful” over feeling “youthful” in their retirement years.
• People desire better alignment between their healthspan and lifespan: (71%) of those 50+ express a willingness to take a pill that would grant them an additional 50 healthy years.

Takeaway: With the aging of the massive Boomer generation and declining fertility, for the firs time in U.S. history, there will be more older adults than children. Our society is largely unprepared for this. Workplaces, homes, medical systems, media, educational systems, transportation, shopping centers, and transportation infrastructure must all evolve to meet the new age of aging. In a society with greater longevity, fewer babies, and more strict immigration, older workers will become an increasingly important contribution to labor output in our economy.