America This Week Wave 264

White-Collar Workers Stay Put, The Temptation of Tariffs, Crypto is Now a Luxury Brand, and Gen Z is Streaming on The Job

The latest trends in society and culture from The Harris Poll

What are you thinking, America? If it feels like a year has already passed in these first few months of 2025, then it’s more vital than ever to keep a finger on the pulse of consumers today. Our co-CEO John Gerzema joined Catalyst Brands CMO Marisa Thalberg and Alpha CEO Steven Wolfe Pereira on their Brand New Podcast to discuss if inflation-weary, recession-fearing Americans will “keep calm and carry on… shopping.”

We have four new stories this week:

1. Suddenly, professional workers feel less mobile and stay put in their current jobs; we found in a new survey with Bloomberg.
2. Tariffs are tempting and troubling, say the American public in a new Harris Poll and The Guardian.
3. Cryptocurrency is becoming highly attractive in the eyes of high-net-worth investors, according to a Harris survey of #HNWI Grayscale Investments
4. Gen Z is quiet streaming at work, like a lot! with Tubi

“I Value Stability”: Bloomberg-Harris Poll

Unemployment is at 4.1%, a slight increase from the previous month but remains relatively low. Yet professional workers sense a growing lack of mobility and feel better off in their current job, in our new Harris survey with Bloomberg.

• “We have a bad vibe on the job market”: More than (70%) of professional workers think it’s more challenging to find a better job than their current one.

• Now the boss is flexing: Back in February 2023, (56%) of employees felt “their employer needs me more than I need them.” But today, (76%) think employers have more leverage than they do.
• So, better off where I am: While (40%) of employees feel stuck professionally, even more feel they’re getting ahead (53%) in their current role vs. only (8%) who think they’re falling behind.

Takeaway: This flinch in employee sentiment is new but understandable in the larger context. Our data shows that (87%) of Americans are worried about inflation, affording their living expenses (80%), and a potential recession (76%). Over the past five years, job-hopping for a raise kept many ahead. But in a new wage growth survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, salaries for job-switching this year rose by (4.8%), just slightly above those who stayed in their current roles (4.6%). Maybe that’s too low a return for taking a risk in this economy.

Americans Are Getting Tariff-Testy… and Tempted: The Guardian-Harris Poll

If job hopping is slowing, our Guardian-Harris Poll survey shows Americans are increasingly concerned about President Trump’s growing use of tariffs.

• When given a list of issues, including inflation, healthcare, and immigration, (72%) of Americans were concerned about tariffs, an increase from (61%) back in January. Even the majority of Republicans (57%) worry:

• (66%) believe the U.S. economy will take years to recover from the tariffs – a sentiment even half of Republicans agreed with (52% v. DEM: 85%, IND: 62%).
• The vast majority of Republicans believe that the tariffs are justified against Mexico (79%) and Canada (75%) – while just over (30%) of Democrats and about (40%) of Independents believe the same.
• Still, six in ten (59%) say the tariffs won’t last long (GOP: 61%, DEM: 60%, IND: 55%).

Takeaway: Nearly half support tariffs in some context, which speaks to America’s growing recognition of trade imbalances, especially with China. But like many other rapid-fire administration policies, Americans see tariffs with a “this too shall pass” mindset. Whether they’re walked back soon or not, the lasting impact on the economy is a growing concern.

Wealthy Investors See Crypto in Their Futures: Grayscale Investments-Harris Poll

Crypto is having a moment (again). The President has embraced digital currency leaders, and our new survey with Grayscale Investments shows that high-net-worth investors have grown more comfortable with its future in their financial profiles.

• While a fifth (20%) of all Americans own cryptocurrency, the number increases to a quarter (26%) of high-net-worth Americans (with investable assets of a million or more).
• Of those high-net-worth Americans who own crypto, a number (42%) said it was because a financial advisor recommended it.
• It’s not a finance fad: Over a third of high-net-worth Americans (38%) and significantly younger high-net-worth investors (53%) expect their future investment portfolio to include cryptocurrencies.
• Over a third (36%) say they are paying closer attention to Bitcoin and other crypto assets due to geopolitical tensions, inflation, and a weakening U.S. dollar.

Takeaway: “This new data highlights the growing confidence among high-net-worth investors in crypto as a potential long-term investment opportunity,” said John Hoffman, Head of Distribution and Partnerships at Grayscale Investments. “With market dynamics shifting following the approval of spot crypto ETFs, affluent investors are increasingly viewing digital assets as an essential part of their portfolios, further cementing crypto’s place in the future of finance.”

Gen Z’s Secret Workplace Streaming: Tubi-Harris Poll

As we discovered with Tubi, Gen Z’s habitual streaming at work could be argued as effective multitasking or workplace slacking, depending on one’s viewpoint.

• Gen Z streaming is a full-time job: Most employed Gen Zers watch TV or movies while working (84%), and even half say they don’t want to return to the office because they’ll miss streaming during the workday (52%).
• In a stat that might convince managers to accelerate their RTO, (53%) of Gen Z employees say they have put off work to finish a show they were binge-watching.
• But they are streaming in secret: Half of Gen Z (48%) have lied to coworkers and bosses about their streaming work habits.
• Streaming is more than wasted time: Many viewers say they’d prefer to stream rather than scroll (80%) and stream when they need a mental break (59%).

Takeaway: “Today’s viewers are more selective than ever, carefully choosing where to invest their time and attention. As consumer behaviors evolve, these insights offer marketers a valuable opportunity to connect with key audiences,” Cynthia Clevenger, SVP of B2B marketing at Tubi, said in a statement. (Maybe HR directors, too…)