Weekly Data

WHAT THE DATA SAY: 62% of women say the economy is worsening, versus 47% of men

By: Ray Day

We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from Stagwell. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:

FEMALE CANARIES IN THE COAL MINE?

Two thirds of American women today are adjusting their budgeting and shopping in preparation for a recession, based on our Harris Poll research with The Guardian.

More women than men (62% of women versus 48% of men) are cutting back on their discretionary spending, switching to lower-cost brands (56% versus 45%) and entering “low-buy mode” (46% versus 39%) in anticipation of an economic slow-down.
Women are significantly more concerned about overall economic uncertainty than men (83% for women versus 73% for men).
62% of women say the economy is worsening, versus 47% of men.
70% of Gen Z women say their financial health is all they think about today.
Women also are 13 percentage points more likely to be shoring up their emergency funds than men (76% versus 63%).
Women in relationships report being primarily responsible for their household’s shopping (70%) and tracking household expenses (59%).

AI-LITERATE HELP WANTED

In a world of AI, which skills are needed in the workplace? The Harris Poll’s new 2025 ETS Human Progress Report: HR Edition gives an inside glimpse into how HR leaders will assess tomorrow’s talent.

67% of HR decision-makers say AI literacy is an essential skill for new hires, yet only 39% of U.S. employees report being proficient in this area.
At the same time, only 24% of employees in the U.S., UK and France have access to AI coaching for personalized skills development – compared with 53% who have such a benefit in India and 30% in China.
70% of employees would trust an AI coach to help them identify skills they need to learn to accelerate their careers.
90% of chief human resources officers say their organization is finding the need to hire outside the standard four-year college degree.
86% of HR decision-makers say focusing on college degrees as an employment filter is a dated practice, leaving talent on the table.
The key challenges for HR decision makers are verifying skill sets (73%) and upskilling and reskilling employees (70%).
86% of employees say certifying their skills improves their overall career trajectory.
6 in 10 expect a world of verified resumes and digital skill wallets to showcase their value to the market.

PICK UP THE PHONE!

Most Americans will forego restaurants that do not answer their phones, according to our Harris Poll research with Hostie.

63% of Americans say calling is their preferred way to contact a restaurant.
58% of calls to restaurants go unanswered.
69% say they’re likely to give up on going to a restaurant if no one answers the phone (72% for Millennials).
Other methods of communication include speaking with staff in person (34%), using reservation apps (30%) and messaging via a restaurant’s website (29%).
89% would be open to using an AI agent – versus a live person – for making a reservation (47%), tracking an order or checking wait times/availability (42%), searching for special offers (39%) and placing a pickup or delivery order (38%).

AMERICANS NEED HELP, BUT STRUGGLE TO GET IT

Americans are feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of daily life, yet they don’t feel they can ask for help, according to our Harris Poll research with Duckbill.

64% of Americans are just trying to get through the day, instead of enjoying it.
67% of young adults ages 18-34 say time feels like a luxury they can’t afford (74% for women in the same age group).
22% say they avoid or procrastinate scheduling their own doctor’s appointments (31% of women ages 18-34).
48% say they feel they should be able to handle things themselves.
47% of women say they don’t want to burden others by asking for help.

HITTING THE ROAD

Despite economic pressures, Americans are traveling more this summer than last, according to our Harris Poll report with the Out of Home Advertising Association of America.

83% of Americans plan to travel for leisure this year (90% of Gen Z).
1 in 4 travelers say they will spend more this year than last summer.
In the past week, 79% rode in a car and 58% walked in a city or downtown area.
4 in 10 say they are driving more today than before the pandemic.
Most will take about nine days off, and more than one in five are planning two weeks or more.
See also: What’s next in travel and communications?

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Weekly Data

Jul 10, 2025