American workers are feeling worse about their jobs than they did during the pandemic
That's according to the latest reading of Glassdoor's Employee Confidence Index, which showed that 43.6% of workers had a positive outlook for their employer over the next six months, down from 44.4% of US workers who felt that way in May.
That reading reflects the worst employees have felt about their work since Glassdoor began conducting the survey in 2016, the firm said in a report on Monday.
Employee sentiment is also lower than it was in 2020, when COVID-19 slammed the world economy and spiked the unemployment rate in the US to a peak of 14.8%.
Employee confidence dropped the most in the last month among white-collar industries, the firm said in its report.
Employees in the legal sector reported the biggest year-over-year decline in sentiment, with the percentage of workers who said they had a positive six-month outlook dropping to 52.6%, down 11.2 percentage points compared to levels last year.
Employees in the energy, mining, and utilities industry and the government and public administration industry saw the second-largest year-over-year decline, with sentiment dropping 7.5 percentage points compared to the same month in 2024.
Here are the five industries where workers were the most pessimistic, according to Glassdoor's survey:
The decline in sentiment has hit its lowest recorded level for two straight months. According to Daniel Zhao, the lead economist of Glassdoor, it reflects the "steady cooling" of the job market and growing anxiety over the economy.
"While the labor market hasn't collapsed, workers are clearly feeling the strain," Zhao said in a note, pointing in particular to mid-level workers. "As confidence erodes, the risk of turnover rises, particularly in white-collar industries still grappling with sluggish hiring and restructuring."
The job market has sent mixed signals over the last several months.
While the unemployment rate remained near historic lows and the economy added more jobs than expected in June, the private sector lost 33,000 jobs, according to the payroll processor ADP.
Claims for continued unemployment have climbed steadily higher over the last year. In the week ending June 14, continuing claims hovered around 1.9 million, the highest number since 2021.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
New Destinations: Global Travel and Tourism Leaders 2025
Travel is changing, and the industry is adapting to satisfy a generation seeking authenticity and quality experiences in new destinations. Globally, tourism is back above pre-pandemic levels. COVID-19 wiped out 1.1 billion trips in 2020, so the turnaround is remarkable. Europe has bounced back, with Southeast Asia and Africa a little slower to recover. In the USA, President Donald Trump's January return has cooled demand. The World Travel & Tourism Council expects foreign visitor spending to fall 7 percent this year; visits from Canada are projected to plummet by about 20 percent. If the pandemic was an earthquake in travel, the industry is praying this will prove to be only a minor tremor. To take the temperature in travel and gauge where the momentum is headed, we interviewed 71 top executives from around the world. Their verdict is clear: travel is booming once again, but the landscape has changed forever. We examine the rise of low-cost flights, online travel agents and the return of business travel. As we share these leaders' insights within this special report, buckle up and enjoy the ride! This report has been paid for by a third party. The views and opinions expressed are not those of Newsweek and are not an endorsement of the products, services or persons mentioned. Click here to download the full report
Miami Herald
2 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Dollar Tree's secret price warning: Look for this red flag
Once upon a time, when you went to Dollar Tree, every item in the store cost $1. In fact, that's where Dollar Tree got its name. Of course, things have not been that way for quite a long time. In November of 2021, Dollar Tree raised prices to $1.25. This doesn't sound like a big increase, but it was a 25% price hike that adds up for price-conscious consumers – especially given that it happened during the inflation surge in the post-Covid era, when people were already struggling to afford the basics. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Dollar Tree then decided to add in some items that were priced higher, at either $3 or $5. Since those made up only a small portion of the store and were generally better-quality items than many of the $1.25 goods, this wasn't a huge deal. Unfortunately, however, widespread price increases will be happening again, with many current items about to cost $1.50 instead of $1.25. Shoppers need to be aware that prices are rising, and must be sure to note this red flag, which suggests a particular item will soon jump in price. If you are in a Dollar Tree and you see an item that has a red sticker on it, you need to be aware that this red sticker is actually a red flag of a price increase coming to that particular item. Numerous shoppers have reported seeing Dollar Tree employees covering up the existing prices on specific items with red stickers. This included things like knives, spatulas, home goods, cleaning gloves, and reading glasses. Related: Dollar Tree's new pricing strategy sparks customer fury Items adorned with the new red sticker were still ringing up at $1.25 for some shoppers. However, according to Business Insider, a Dollar Tree employee said items with red tags would soon ring up at $1.50. The stickers are an attempt on the part of store employees to get things ready for the upcoming price change to $1.50, which will be applied to many products in the store. In fact, some TikTok users said they saw signs hanging up in their Dollar Tree stores that expressly stated any item with a red sticker would now cost $1.50 instead of $1.25. Dollar Tree's red stickers are definitely something that you need to look out for when you are shopping, as you don't want to be surprised when your item rings up for more than the anticipated $1.25. Related: Costco adds strict new policy for free samples If you spot a red-stickered item now, you'll have to find out if your store has actually made the change to the higher price point already, or if it is just gettingready for the price change. You can ask a store employee to check the price so you don't pay more than expected. More Retail: Walmart CEO sounds alarm on a big problem for customersTarget makes a change that might scare Walmart, CostcoTop investor takes firm stance on troubled retail brandWalmart and Costco making major change affecting all customers As prices go up, you'll also want to make sure you are comparing Dollar Tree prices with the cost of the same items at Costco and your local grocery store, since Dollar Tree may soon no longer be the bargain it used to be. The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
A New Investor Asks If The Dot-Com Bubble Or 2008 Crash Felt 'Like The End Of The World.' Veterans Reflect On The Panic And The Lessons
A Reddit user who began investing during the COVID-19 pandemic wanted to know what it really felt like to live through the dot-com crash and the 2008 financial crisis. 'Did it feel like the end of the world?' they asked in the r/stocks subreddit recently. Hundreds of experienced investors responded with stories, lessons, and memories that painted a sobering picture of financial chaos, emotional upheaval, and resilience. Everything Was Going Up, Until It Wasn't One of the most upvoted replies came from someone who lived through both crashes. 'Got killed as a relatively new investor during the dot-com bubble,' they wrote. 'Learned my lesson and kept buying [index exchange-traded funds] on the dips during the 2008 financial crisis, which turned out to be some of my best investments ever.' Don't Miss: Accredited Investors: Grab Pre-IPO Shares of the AI Company Powering Hasbro, Sephora & MGM— 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. You can Many described the late '90s as euphoric. 'Dot-com bubble was surreal. Everyone was talking about stocks. You'd be going home on the subway and people were talking about what they wanted to invest in,' one commenter recalled. But when the bubble burst, it hit hard. 'I lost $10k during the dot-com crash, which hurt really bad as a 23-year-old,' another said. In contrast, the 2008 crash felt different for some investors. '2008 was horrific,' one wrote. 'I thought the world was ending.' Others said it wasn't just about numbers on a screen. 'People lost their houses, people killed themselves.' Lessons In Panic And Patience Several investors noted they made their best financial moves by holding steady. 'I was scared because I had just bought a house, but I kept investing into my 401(k), and it turned out to be a very good move,' one said. Another shared, 'All fun and games until you lose your job, then sell stocks at the bottom, then lose your house.' Some remembered cashing out early, only to miss the rebound. Others stayed the course. 'Never sold! I only invest in stock index funds. Stick with a diversified portfolio and enjoy the magic of compounding,' one long-time investor advised. Trending: $100k+ in investable assets? – no cost, no obligation. One user who lost more than 75% of their portfolio in 2008 said it took eight years to fully recover. 'Kept to my plan,' they said. 'Now have over $6.5M.' 'Remember 2008 like it was yesterday. Family's home was appraised at $176K and sold at sheriff's sale for $38K,' another added. One commenter said they had to rent out rooms and work multiple jobs just to keep their home. 'Had to hustle. It was a rough time.' The Calm Before The Crash What struck several people was how confident everyone felt before the fall. 'Pizza delivery drivers were buying real estate with zero down,' one recalled. 'Anyone buying a property would buy a second one for income or to flip and pay for the first one.'The thread also drew comparisons to the current artificial intelligence boom. 'Never felt like the world was ending for any of these crashes. The potential impending AI bubble worries me more than either of these did. It has a more existential, end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it vibe,' someone warned. People were buying anything with '.com' in the name in 1999, and the same is happening now with AI. While some called today's fears over tariffs and inflation 'a blip' compared to 2008, others urged caution. 'This isn't going to end well,' one wrote. The mood may not always signal a crash, but as one investor summed it up: 'It's not really the end of the world, but it can be the end of your world.' Read Next: Can you guess how many retire with a $5,000,000 nest egg? .UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article A New Investor Asks If The Dot-Com Bubble Or 2008 Crash Felt 'Like The End Of The World.' Veterans Reflect On The Panic And The Lessons originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
