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BUSINESS & POLITICS IN THE WORLD GLOBAL OPINION REPORT NO. 723 Week:
December 07, 2021 –January 02, 2022 Presentation:
January 07, 2022 9
Out Of 10 People Are Aware Of The Omicron Variant One
In Four Britons Have Never Heard Of The Government’s Flagship ‘Levelling Up’
Strategy Seven
In Ten (70%) Britons Say They Have A Very Strong (39%) Or Fairly Strong (31%)
Brexit Identity One
In Eight Drinkers Plan To Try And Stay Sober For The First Month Of New Year Generation
Z and millennials less engaged and more stressed at work Over
Half Of Americans Believe The Country's Economy Is Headed In The Wrong
Direction American
Have Mixed Expectations On The Start Of New Year Buzzing
Car Brands Among American And British Gamers Circa
2022 Will Be Better Than 2021, 71% Agree Globally INTRODUCTORY NOTE
723-43-16/Commentary:
Women
Are More Likely Than Men To Feel Burned Out At Work, 34% Vs 26%, The Gap Has
Only Widened During The Pandemic
Working
women report more on-the-job burnout than working men do, and the gap has
only widened during the pandemic. In 2019, 30%
of women and 27% of men said they "always" or "very
often" felt burned out at work. That three-percentage-point gap expanded
to 12 points in the pandemic-era months of 2020, from March to December, and
has averaged eight points in 2021 -- 34% of women and 26% of men this year
have reported feeling burned out.
Line graph.
Trend in percentage of U.S. employees who always or very often feel burned
out at work, by gender. Burnout among women was 30% in 2019 but expanded to
34% in 2020 and remains 34% in 2021. Burnout among men was 27% in 2019, fell
to 22% in 2020 and is 26% in 2021. The expanded
gender gap in worker burnout seen during the pandemic is the result of two
shifts since 2019 -- increased burnout among women and decreased burnout
among men. Burnout among men has varied, dipping significantly to 22% in 2020
and then rising to 26% this year, but is still just below the 27% recorded in
2019. By contrast, women's burnout increased four points to 34% in 2020 and
remains at that level in 2021. Why Does the Burnout Gender Gap Matter, and What Is Contributing to
It? To be clear,
burnout among working men is still far too common, with about one in four
currently experiencing it on a regular basis. Employees who reach this
breaking point of always or very often feeling burned out at work are 23%
more likely to visit the emergency room, 63% more likely to take a sick day
and 2.6
times as likely to leave their employer.
Burnout is a serious workplace issue for all genders, races, ethnicities and
job types. However, the
disproportionate increase in burnout among working women during the pandemic
has resulted in a third of them dealing with it as a routine part of their
job -- a figure that demands attention. To help
inform how this imbalance can be rectified, Gallup researchers studied
several factors that could potentially be associated with the expanded gap. A
key discovery is that there is no simple answer -- instead, several potential
factors emerged requiring further exploration. The
following considerations and insights can help spark important conversations
about closing the burnout gender gap. Remote Work Women who
spend part of their week working remotely (hybrid) are at higher burnout risk
(38% in 2021) than women who work exclusively from home (31%) or fully
on-site (34%). In contrast, burnout among men tends to be unrelated to their
remote work arrangement -- their burnout risk is the same regardless of
whether they work fully on-site, work exclusively from home or are hybrid. Turning to
workplace hypotheses, are women being tasked with more of the team
coordination and communication activities associated with a hybrid
environment where people have highly individualized work schedules? Sixty
percent of employees in remote-capable jobs prefer to be
hybrid workers long-term. Thus, now is the time to start discussing what that
means for women. Roles and Responsibilities The burnout
gender gap is relatively consistent across most industries and, importantly,
is just as evident among white-collar workers as among workers at large. But within
organizations, there is a sizable burnout gender gap among workers who are in
individual contributor or project manager roles. Women in these types of
positions are significantly more likely than their male counterparts to feel
burned out, suggesting they could be dealing with different workload
expectations during the pandemic -- either at home, at the office or both. Conversely,
there is little difference by gender in burnout among workers in managerial
positions. These findings suggest that workload and support may be more
equitable between genders for people in managerial roles than in individual
contributor and project manager roles. Parenthood The gap in
burnout between men and women is just as wide among workers without school-age
children (under 18) as among those with school-age children. When
specific aspects of childcare are studied, notable contributions to the
gender gap in burnout emerge, but none of these factors prove to be the clear
driving force behind the gap. For instance, caring for children and
experiencing interruptions to school and daycare are prime ways the pandemic
has disrupted people's normal lives, but these factors only modestly affect
the burnout gender gap. This may not
be entirely surprising, as schools largely found ways to reopen after the
initial surge of the pandemic and people have acclimated to their new work
routines. Additionally, previous
Gallup research demonstrates that burnout tends to
be most strongly influenced by how people experience work and how they are
managed. Nonetheless,
family responsibilities and work-life balance are part of every parent's
wellbeing equation and should be part of the burnout discussion -- even if
they are not the direct causes of the burnout gender gap. As we continue to
research the experiences of working mothers, further insights into factors
contributing to their burnout will be explored. Concerns About COVID-19 It's also
important to note that the pandemic
itself imposes disproportionate stress on women,
as women are much more likely than men to say they worry about getting COVID-19.
Workers of both genders who are "very" or "somewhat"
worried about getting the virus are substantially more likely to be burned
out. But because women are more likely to be in this high-worry group, they
are also higher on burnout. The concern
here should be how the emotional stress created by the health aspect of the
pandemic can stack on top of work-related responsibilities and challenges. Recommendations for Employers The
heightened rate of burnout for working women necessitates immediate concern
and action. Now is the time to address what may be systemically causing
workload and stress disparities for women in your organization. Here's what
your organization can do to start the conversation and shrink the burnout
gender gap:
Gallup
recommends routinely measuring and tracking workplace teams' wellbeing and
engagement using brief employee surveys to unearth hidden challenges -- like
the burnout gender gap. These insights can help identify where your greatest
burnout risks are occurring. Data alone won't solve the problem, but these
facts will help start the right conversations needed to uncover the right
answers and create accountability for solving them.
Start by
discussing the top
five causes of burnout Gallup discovered and what your team
can do about them. Pay special attention to the cultural, procedural and
systemic factors that may be affecting women differently. Follow up with
regular check-ins designed to identify potential burnout risks your team is
facing and inform the creation of new norms to better support one another. Because the
No. 1 cause of burnout is feeling treated unfairly at work, alarm bells
should be ringing if your conversations or data uncover a gender gap in
burnout or in how people believe they are treated at work. And given their
elevated burnout rate, be especially vigilant about your burnout surveillance
for women working hybrid (partly on-site, partly at home).
At the same
time, leaders and managers should be mindful that their personal experiences
and circumstances with gender equality at work may be very different than
those of the team members they lead. (Gallup) DECEMBER 27,
2021 Source: https://www.gallup.com/workplace/358349/gender-gap-worker-burnout-widened-amid-pandemic.aspx SUMMARY
OF POLLS
ASIA (Turkey) 9
Out Of 10 People Are Aware Of The Omicron Variant According to the data of the research
conducted in the first week of December; While 71% of the population in our
country is aware of the Omicron variant, this rate has reached 85% today. It
causes those who are aware of this variant to think more negatively about the
duration of the epidemic. 8 out of 10 people think that the duration of the
epidemic will be prolonged due to this variant. (Ipsos Turkey) 27 December 2021 AFRICA (Eswatini) Most Emaswati (78%) “Agree” Or “Strongly Agree” That
Lockdown Restrictions Were Necessary To Limit The Spread Of COVID-19 Most Emaswati (78%) “agree” or “strongly
agree” that lockdown restrictions were necessary to limit the spread of
COVID-19. About half (49%) say they found it “difficult” or “very difficult”
to comply with the lockdown restrictions imposed by the government. Six in 10
Emaswati (60%) support the government’s decision to close schools. (Afrobarometer) 27 December 2021 WEST
EUROPE (UK) One
In Four Britons Have Never Heard Of The Government’s Flagship ‘Levelling Up’
Strategy ‘Levelling up’ – the strategy set out by
the Conservative party in their 2019 manifesto – is a plan to target investment in
local infrastructure in left-behind communities in the UK. However, around a quarter of Britons (24%)
have never heard of the term, according to a new YouGov survey. Another half
(50%) have heard the term but either have no idea what it means or are not
completely sure. A quarter (26%) say they know exactly what levelling up
means. (YouGov UK) December 28, 2021 Seven
In Ten (70%) Britons Say They Have A Very Strong (39%) Or Fairly Strong (31%)
Brexit Identity New Ipsos MORI polling with the Economist
shows seven in ten (70%) Britons say they have a very strong (39%) or fairly
strong (31%) Brexit identity. This is in line with the proportion saying the
same earlier this year in March (67%), although has softened from four in
five (81%) in November 2019. The proportion saying they have a “very strong”
Brexit identity has dropped from over half (55%) since 2019. (Ipsos MORI) 29 December 2021 One
In Seven Brits Is Making A New Year's Resolution This Year - Compared To One
In Nine Who Did For 2021 This year, some 16% of Britons say they
will make a New Year’s resolution – compared to 11% who say they made a
resolution this time last year. The
young are by far the most likely to be setting themselves a New Year’s
resolution, with nearly a third (32%) of those aged between 18 and 24 doing
so compared to 10% of those aged 55 and over. Another 41% say they want to
commit to improving their diet, and 40% want to lose weight – including 34%
of men and 44% of women. (YouGov UK) December 29, 2021 One In Eight Drinkers Plan To Try And Stay
Sober For The First Month Of New Year YouGov research shows that one in eleven
people (9%) say they plan on giving up alcohol at the start of next year,
compared to 55% who will continue to drink as normal. However, nearly one in
three people (29%) say they don’t drink normally anyway. Taking these people
into account means that some 12% of people who say they do drink are planning
on giving it up for January, while 79% of drinkers will not. There is little
difference among those saying they will take part, including some 11% of
male drinkers and 14% women who drink. (YouGov UK) December 30, 2021 Britain's Best Of 2021 Only a few days remain in 2021 as the year
draws to a close. Many Britons will be glad to see the back of this year, and
look forward to all that 2022 holds. In a round-up of the year, a YouGov
survey askes Britons what their best bits were, from TV and film, world
events, and notable people. The best answers in each category were gathered
from an initial, open, question in which respondents answered in their own
words. A subsequent survey asked Britons to choose between the most popular
answers from the first survey. (YouGov UK) December 31, 2021 NORTH AMERICA (USA) Women Are More Likely Than Men To Feel Burned Out At Work,
34% Vs 26%, The Gap Has Only Widened During The Pandemic Working women report more on-the-job
burnout than working men do, and the gap has only widened during the
pandemic. In 2019, 30% of women and 27% of men said they "always"
or "very often" felt burned out at work. That
three-percentage-point gap expanded to 12 points in the pandemic-era months
of 2020, from March to December, and has averaged eight points in 2021 -- 34%
of women and 26% of men this year have reported feeling burned out. (Gallup) DECEMBER 27, 2021 Generation Z and millennials less engaged and more stressed
at work According to Gallup's most recent State of the Global Workplace report,
the pandemic affected younger workers' careers more negatively in 2020 than
older workers'. Younger employees (those under 40) also experienced more
stress and anger, lower employee engagement, and lower wellbeing than older
workers. These results should be a warning sign for international leaders and
global employers who care about the future of their institutions. When paired
with pre-COVID data showing that wellbeing has been the No. 1 concern for young job seekers,
it is clear that leaders must prioritize employee wellbeing to win in the
future. (Gallup) DECEMBER 28, 2021 Over Half Of Americans Believe The Country's Economy Is
Headed In The Wrong Direction A Reuters/Ipsos poll from earlier this
month (Dec 13-17) found that over half of Americans (56%) believe the
national economy and the country generally is headed in the wrong direction.
This is driven primarily by Republicans (81%), but over half of independents
(59% and 63% for each) agree as well. Forty percent of Americans blieve the
Democratic party has the better plan for healthcare, compared to only 27% who
believe it is Republicans. Over half of Republicans (54%) say they would
support Trump as the Republican nominee for President in 2022, Ron DeSantis
is a distant second at 11%, 14% say they aren’t sure. (Ipsos US) 29 December 2021 American Have Mixed Expectations On The Start Of New Year Year two of the pandemic draws to a close.
What a rollercoaster it’s been. Yet also like last year, there is still hope
on the horizon. Early last year, vaccines appeared to promise the end of
COVID once and for all. While that did not play out exactly as hoped, we can
take heart in the fact the current spike will cause less severe illness in
some cases, in part because so many more people are vaccinated now. (Ipsos US) (Canada) Finances, Forecasts And Fireworks: Four In Ten (41%)
Canadians Are Hailing In The New Year With A Resolution About Their Financial
Wellbeing As central banks around the world are
adjusting their monetary policy toolkits in the attempt to tamp down
decades-high inflationary trends, financial health also dominates Canadians’
forecasts for the coming New Year. A recent Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of
Global News reveals that four in ten (41%) Canadians will make a New Year’s
resolution about their finances. Nearly half (48%) are resolved to pay off
debts in 2022, while the same proportion (48%) considers the price of
groceries and food to be the main barrier to their financial security. (Ipsos Canada) 28 December 2021 Canadians Remain Resilient: Despite The Roller Coaster Of
2021, Most Canadians Have A Positive Outlook On Their Personal Happiness,
Health Closing Out The Year A new Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of
Global News finds that Canadians retain a remarkable level of positivity
about their personal situation in spite of the challenges 2021 has presented,
consistent with how they felt closing out 2020. While just under half (46%)
of Canadians agree that 2021 was better than they thought it would be, a
strong majority rate their personal happiness (77%), health (76%), and social
life (69%) positively. Compared to this time last year, Canadians’ ratings of
their health are down slightly (-4 pts), but their ratings of their social
lives have increased by nine points. (Ipsos Canada) 30 December 2021 MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES Buzzing Car Brands Among American And British Gamers The automotive sector and gaming sector
have close ties. According to data collected by YouGov Profiles, racing games
are the fourth most popular category of games played on consoles or PCs among
Brits. In light of the recent launch of Forza Horizon 5 and the upcoming
release of Gran Turismo 7 next quarter, we look at the car brands that are
resonating among video gamers in Great Britain and the United States this
holiday season. We dip into data from YouGov BrandIndex to list out the top
brands that are generating Buzz among gamers in each market. (YouGov UK) December 31, 2021 Circa 2022 Will Be Better Than 2021, 71% Agree Globally 8 in 10 urban
Indians (80%) and 61% of the global citizens polled predict the Economy to emerge stronger in
2022. The markets most optimistic were China (87%), India (80%), and Saudi
Arabia (79%). The least optimistic were Turkey (40%), Belgium (44%) and
Russia (45%). Further, there is optimism around city centres getting busy again with
life limping back ro normalcy around people getting back to offices again – 7
in 10 agree globally (71%), India has 3 in 4 agreeing (74%) and
interestingly, all 33 markets have more number of respondents feeling
optimistic – markets at the top were China (87%), Malaysia (86%), Netherlands
(81%) and Israel (80%). (Ipsos India) 30 December 2021 ASIA
723-43-01/Polls 9 Out Of 10
People Are Aware Of The Omicron Variant
About 9 out of 10 People Are Aware of the
Omicron Variant by Ipsos; According to the data of the
research conducted in the first week of December; While 71% of the population
in our country is aware of the Omicron variant, this rate has reached 85%
today. It causes those who are aware of this variant to think more negatively
about the duration of the epidemic. 8 out of 10 people think that the
duration of the epidemic will be prolonged due to this variant. Community Concern Level Still Very High. The level of anxiety of individuals about
the coronavirus epidemic has been above 80% for a long time. The rate of
those who are worried about themselves or one of their families catching
Covid-19 is 85% in the week of 20 December. In addition to this concern, the
anxiety level of 4 out of 10 people increased even more due to the new
variant and the fact that the number of cases did not decrease.
Even though the vaccine is the most
effective solution in the fight against the epidemic, Ľ of the people who
need the third dose of vaccine are not clear about getting vaccinated. Despite the fact that the right of the 3rd
dose vaccine has been opened to everyone who has been vaccinated for 2 doses
to combat the epidemic, 74% of the people who have not been vaccinated for
the 3rd dose so far state that they will get the 3rd dose vaccine, while 1
out of 4 people are unsure about whether they will be vaccinated or not. says
it isn't.
1/3 of the Society Says They Will Get the
3rd Dose of Turkovac Vaccine While 33% of the people who will be
vaccinated for the third dose state that they can get the Turkovac vaccine,
the rate of those who say they will not get this vaccine is 30%. On the other
hand, 16% of people who have never been vaccinated say they can get the
Turkovac vaccine. Sidar Gedik, CEO of Ipsos Turkey, made the
following evaluations about the data; The Covid-19 epidemic taught us that
one of the ways to end epidemics is virus mutation. While the new variants
were worrying about the effectiveness of the vaccine, it also brought up the
hopeful question "could this be the last variant?" Covid-19 is now
here with its latest variant, Omicron. Approximately nine out of ten people
are aware of this variant. However, instead of giving us hope for the end of
the epidemic, these mutations that we come across one after another have the
opposite effect, eight out of ten people think that Omicron will prolong the
end of the epidemic. Even the fact that the vaccinated can cope with Omicron
more easily does not relieve the anxiety, the level of anxiety is still very
high. The necessity of being vaccinated to
contain the epidemic is accepted by the vast majority, but when it comes to
the 3rd dose of vaccine, there are people who have a question mark even among
those who have been vaccinated with 2 doses. As the struggle drags on, a thaw
seems to begin. One out of four people who have been vaccinated for 2 doses
has not made a clear decision about whether to get the 3rd dose. Opinions about the Turkovac vaccine, which
is on the agenda with the temporary use approval, are not fully settled. Even
among those who have been vaccinated for 2 doses (that is, the
non-anti-vaccine mass), only a third of them say they will become Turkovac.
Among those who have not been vaccinated, the rate of those who say they will
be Turkovac drops to 16%. Of course, looking at this backwards, we can say
that Turkovac can convince sixteen of every hundred people who have not been
vaccinated so far. I hope Omicron is that final variant that will bring an
end to the epidemic. RESEARCH IDENTIFICATION With the Coronavirus Epidemic and Community
General Public Opinion Survey conducted by Ipsos, it was aimed to reveal the
awareness levels, concerns and changing behaviors of the citizens on this
issue following the detection of the coronavirus case in Turkey for the first
time, and to understand the reflection of the government's policies and
practices on this issue in the public. The research was carried out with
Online Interviews (CAWI) with 800 individuals over the age of 18 at NUTS 1
level, representing Turkey. Data as of 20-24 December 2021; The statistical
error margin of the research covering the 88th period data is ± 3% at the 95%
confidence interval. (Ipsos Turkey) 27 December 2021 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/tr-tr/her-10-kisiden-9u-omicron-varyantindan-haberdar AFRICA
723-43-02/Polls Most
Emaswati (78%) “Agree” Or “Strongly Agree” That Lockdown Restrictions Were
Necessary To Limit The Spread Of COVID-19
Most Emaswati support the government’s
lockdown restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 even though about half say they
found it difficult to comply, the latest Afrobarometer survey shows. Similarly, a majority of citizens endorse
the government’s decision to close the schools but think they should have reopened sooner. To limit the spread of the coronavirus,
government has instituted partial lockdown restrictions, including school closures that kept most
students (particulalryl those enrolled in government schools) away from the classroom for much
of 2020 and parts of 2021. While this year saw learners retun to the classrooms following
easing of the ‘hard’ restrictions of the previous year, outbreaks of subsequent COVID-19
waves and civil unrest yet again led to the shutting down of schools. The government has
continued to gradually ease restrictions, allowing most business, including some of those most
affected by the lockdowns such the alcohol and entertainment industry, to begin the long
journey to economic recovery. Most recently, the government announced the end of a curfew
that has in place for several months now. Key findings Most Emaswati (78%) “agree” or
“strongly agree” that lockdown restrictions were necessary to limit the spread of COVID-19
(Figure 1). About half (49%) say they found it
“difficult” or “very difficult” to comply with the lockdown restrictions imposed by the government
(Figure 2). Six in 10 Emaswati (60%) support
the government’s decision to close schools (Figure 3). But more than nine in 10 citizens
(93%) think the schools should have reopened sooner, including 78% who say they were
closed “much too long” (Figure 4). (Afrobarometer) 27 December 2021 WEST
EUROPE
723-43-03/Polls One In Four Britons Have Never Heard Of The Government’s Flagship
‘Levelling Up’ Strategy
‘Levelling up’ – the strategy set out by the Conservative party in
their 2019
manifesto – is a plan to target investment in local infrastructure
in left-behind communities in the UK. However, around a quarter of Britons (24%) have never heard of the
term, according to a new YouGov survey. Another half (50%) have heard the
term but either have no idea what it means or are not completely sure. A
quarter (26%) say they know exactly what levelling up means. As well as few knowing what levelling up means, three in five (58%)
say they’re not following the developments of the levelling up plans, with
just 9% saying they’re following the story ‘very closely’. How do Britons feel about government
spending in their local area? Overall, half of the British public (50%) think that the current
amount of money the government spends in their local area is too low, with
17% saying ‘about right’. In the North East and the North West of England, two-thirds of
residents (66% and 65% respectively) think the government is not spending
enough money in their local area, the highest proportion of any region in
Great Britain. This compares to just over a third (36%) of Londoners who feel
the same way. However, Britons are not confident that the levelling up fund will
bring more money to their local area. Only 7% of the public overall think
that levelling up will lead to more money being spent in their communities,
with most (44%) saying there would be no difference. Around one in six (18%)
think they would get less money as a result of the fund. Three in ten (31%)
didn’t know whether the fund would lead to more or less spending where they
live. Boris Johnson promised in a speech
this July that levelling up would be ‘win-win for the whole United
Kingdom’ and that funding would not be taken away from London and the South. Despite this promise, three in 10 Londoners (28%) think that
levelling up will lead to less money spent in their local area, and a quarter
(25%) of residents of the South East feel the same way. While optimism for more local spending is low across all regions of
the UK, it is lowest in the South East of England (3% think levelling up will
bring in more money where they live), London (5%) and the South West (5%),
and highest in the North East and North West of England (12%).
What should the levelling up fund target? The government is using three
key indicators to target the funds. These include looking at areas
with a need for economic recovery and growth, a need for improved transport
connectivity (England only), and areas with a high proportion of empty houses
and commercial buildings in need of ‘regeneration’. The British public think the government should prioritise levelling
up funds to deprived areas such as those with high poverty rates (60%) and
high unemployment (56%). Around half (49%) think areas with low levels of
education should be a priority, and 46% say areas with mostly low wage jobs
should be targeted for the funds. Transport links were lower down the priority list at 43%, and areas
with a high number of empty houses even less so, with around a quarter (26%)
saying they should be a priority for the money.
(YouGov UK) December 28, 2021 723-43-04/Polls Seven In Ten (70%) Britons Say They Have A Very Strong (39%) Or
Fairly Strong (31%) Brexit Identity
New Ipsos MORI polling with the Economist shows seven in ten (70%)
Britons say they have a very strong (39%) or fairly strong (31%) Brexit
identity. This is in line with the proportion saying the same earlier this
year in March (67%), although has softened from four in five (81%) in
November 2019. The proportion saying they have a “very strong” Brexit
identity has dropped from over half (55%) since 2019.
Similar levels of “Remainer” and “Leaver” identifiers say they have a
strong Brexit identity, reaching nearly nine in ten among each group (88%,
86% respectively). These figures are relatively unchanged from March 2021,
but both sides see a fall in “very strong” identifiers since 2019 (from 61%
to 52% among Remainers, 63% to 45% among Leavers). Comparatively, Brexit identities remain stronger than party
identities. Just over half (52%) say they identify very (17%) or fairly (35%)
strongly with a political party, which is relatively unchanged from March
2021 (49%), but down from 62% in November 2019 in the build up to the General
Election. Strength of identity is stronger among 2019 Labour than 2019
Conservative voters (by 68% to 56% respectively).
Looking forward, a third (34%) of the public say Britain was right to
leave the European Union. Three in ten (30%) believe we were wrong to leave,
but now that we have done so, we should work to make the best of Britain’s
position outside the EU, whilst a quarter (24%) think we were wrong to leave
and should concentrate on reversing that decision as soon as possible. Over three in four (77%) 2016 Leave voters are confident that Britain
was right was to leave the EU. Whereas, while most 2016 Remain voters still
think it was the wrong decision, they are split on the best way forward. Two
in five (41%) say we were wrong to leave and should reverse the decision as
soon as possible, but 47% think we were wrong but should now make the best of
it. There is a clear Brexit identity gradient to this: two in three (65%)
of very strong Remainer identifiers say we should focus on reversing Brexit
as soon as possible versus three in ten (31%) believing we should make the
best of it. In comparison, three in ten (31%) who describe themselves as
fairly strong Remainers say we should focus on re-joining as soon as
possible, compared to three in five (62%) wanting to make the best of it. The purpose of this research was to measure the strength of Britons'
identities on the Brexit question five years after the referendum.
Comparing this with the strength of party political loyalties, and
(particularly for this who felt it was the wrong decision) understanding
their priorities between wanting to reverse that decision as soon as possible
or make the best of it for now, as well as how that relates to how strongly
they still feel about Brexit as an issue. It used a combination of trend
questions on the strength of people's identities to measure change (if any),
and a new question on people's views now. This question is not designed to
measure support for rejoining the EU in any referendum but to understand in
more detail the priorities people have now and (in conjunction with the other
questions) how it relates to the strength of their self-identification with
the sides of the 2016 referendum. This question deliberately asked about rejoining as soon as possible
to ascertain people’s immediate priorities with regard to the Brexit question
approaching two years from our official exit from the EU. As part of our
ongoing research into Brexit and it’s impacts on Britain and our society, we
will continue to produce research across the topic including updating our
previous research on people’s preferred future relationship with the EU. Gideon Skinner, Head of Politics at Ipsos
MORI, says of the findings: Perhaps understandably, Britons do not feel
their Brexit identities quite as strongly as they did two years ago, but they
are still more powerful than traditional party loyalties. Meanwhile,
although the public have become more negative about Brexit since earlier this
year, this does not mean that Remain voters are unanimous in wanting to
reverse the decision as soon as possible. Although this still remains
the focus for those who feel their Remain identity most strongly, for other
less fervent Remainers they are prepared to make the best of it. (Ipsos MORI) 29 December 2021 723-43-05/Polls One In Seven Brits Is Making A New Year's Resolution This Year -
Compared To One In Nine Who Did For 2021
With the last days of 2021 upon us, many Britons will be looking
ahead at what they want to achieve in 2022. For some, a New Year’s resolution
is a far overused cliché, but for others, it’s a solemn promise to be
taken very seriously. This year, some 16% of Britons say they will make a New Year’s
resolution – compared to 11% who say they made a resolution this time last
year. The young are by far the most likely to be setting themselves a New
Year’s resolution, with nearly a third (32%) of those aged between 18 and 24
doing so compared to 10% of those aged 55 and over. What New Year’s Resolutions are people
making? For the
third year in a row, health and fitness come top of the list of Britons’
resolutions they plan on making, with the most popular among those making
resolutions being to do more exercise or improve their fitness (49%). Another 41% say they want to commit to improving their diet, and 40%
want to lose weight – including 34% of men and 44% of women. A similar proportion of people (39%) say they want to try and put
more money into their savings next year, while around half as many want to
pursue a career ambition (19%) – with men (23%) more likely to attempt to
than women (16%). A further 16% say they will try and spend less time on social media,
and 15% want to take up a new hobby or cut down on their drinking. How many people kept their 2021 New Year’s
resolutions? One of the clichés of New Year’s resolutions is that people end up
breaking their promises to themselves anyway – but this is true? Looking back
on the year, how many people who made a commitment this time in 2020 claim to
have stuck by them? Three in ten (31%) of those who made New Year resolutions for 2021
claim to have kept all their resolutions – with men more likely to say they
kept all their resolutions (38%) than women (26%). Another 44% of people say
they kept at least some of their resolutions for 2021. Nearly one in five (19%) own up and say they did not keep any of the
resolutions they made for this year, including 22% of women and 15% of men. Check back next year to see how many Britons followed through with
their resolutions for 2022! (YouGov UK) December 29, 2021 723-43-06/Polls One In Eight Drinkers Plan To Try And Stay Sober For The First Month
Of New Year
Cutting down on the booze is a popular New
Year’s resolution, but how many people say they are going tee-total for
the month? YouGov research shows that one in eleven people (9%) say they plan on
giving up alcohol at the start of next year, compared to 55% who will
continue to drink as normal. However, nearly one in three people (29%) say they don’t drink
normally anyway. Taking these people into account means that some 12% of
people who say they do drink are planning on giving it up for January, while
79% of drinkers will not. There is little difference among those saying they
will take part, including some 11% of male drinkers and 14% women who
drink.
Some 13% of those aged 18 to 24 plan to give up alcohol in January,
as do 15% of people aged between 35 and 44, and 9 of people aged 55 and over. Check back through January to see how many people manage to stay sober
throughout the entire month. (YouGov UK) December 30, 2021 723-43-07/Polls Britain's Best Of 2021
Only a few days remain in 2021 as the year draws to a close. Many
Britons will be glad to see the back of this year, and look forward to all
that 2022 holds. In a round-up of the year, a YouGov survey askes Britons
what their best bits were, from TV and film, world events, and notable
people. The best answers in each category were
gathered from an initial, open, question in which respondents answered in
their own words. A subsequent survey asked Britons to choose between the most
popular answers from the first survey. Who had the biggest impact on the world
this year? Sir Captain Tom Moore rose to fame in 2020 by walking 100 laps of his
garden before his 100th birthday to raise money for the NHS -a
feat that raised Ł38.9 million. Before he sadly passed away in February this
year, his efforts won him the admiration of the nation as well as a
knighthood. Now, 21% of the public say he had the biggest impact on the world
this year. Some 9% thought former President Donald Trump had the biggest impact
on the world for better or worse, followed by 7% who think Greta Thunberg
did. Another 6% say Boris Johnson had the most significant impact on the
world, and the same proportion think the same of Elon Musk.
What was the best development this year? This year saw the pandemic continue as new variants of COVID-19
emerged, but it also saw a huge global effort towards vaccination – which
Britons see as by far the best development of the year (43%). Another 13%
think the end of the most severe COVID-19 lockdown restrictions across the UK
was the best event of the year. One in nine (11%) think the increased discussion and awareness of
climate change was the best thing to happen this year – alongside 2% who
think the COP 26 conference in Glasgow was the best event. Some 7% think the Euro 2020 (postponed into 2021) was the best event
of the year, despite the heart-breaking final for the England side. Another
3% of Brits think the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (also postponed to 2021) was the
best event of the year.
What was the worst development this year? Of course, with good comes the bad - and 2021 was certainly a tough
year for a lot of people. Unsurprisingly the continuing COVID-19 pandemic is
seen as the worst event of the year (19%). A further 10% think that the new
variants of COVID-19 such Omicron are the worst development of the year, and
7% say the lockdown restrictions. Politics was also seen as being among the worst parts of 2021. Just
over one in eight people (13%) think that Boris Johnson’s Conservative
government remaining in power was the worst part of the year - another 9% say
immigration, and 8% say Brexit. A tenth of the general public (10%) think the withdrawal of Allied
forces from Afghanistan, which saw the country quickly fall under Taliban
rule once again, was the worst thing to happen. One in twelve (8%) say continuing climate change was the worst
development in 2021.
What was the best film of 2021? Following several postponements throughout 2020, No Time to Die finally hit cinemas
this year, and despite premiering late in the year has gone on to be the
third highest grossing film of the year. For Britons however, it is their
best film of the year with 14% of the vote. Other notable films included Dune (5%) and Black Widow (3%) – however
given that much of 2021 in the UK was spent in lockdown, many Britons were
not sure.
What was the best television programme of
2021? While Britons might have been kept from the cinema by lockdown, they were
spoilt for choice at home, with finales and new seasons alike. This included
the much-anticipated Line of Duty finale and the reveal of the criminal
mastermind “H” – which netted the show the top spot as the best programme of
the year with 20% of the vote. Another 14% of people picked South-Korean Netflix hit Squid Game as
their best show, and 8% think It’s a Sin was the best show of 2021. Strictly Come Dancing racked up 7% of the vote, and 6% of people
think Gogglebox was the best.
Who was the best music act of 2021? For another year in row, Ed Sheeran tops the YouGov charts, with 13%
of the public picking him as the best musical act of 2021. Adele, whose latest Album 30 has been at number one in the official
album chart for four weeks, comes second with one in ten people (10%)
thinking she was the best act of 2021. ABBA, who also released a new album this year, garnered some 8% of
the vote.
Best soap opera of the year For the third time in a row, Britons say Coronation Street is their
favourite soap opera of the year, with Emmerdale second at 7% and Eastenders
third at 6%. But it seems as if many Brits didn’t spend their time watching
soap operas this year – most of the public (68%) weren’t sure.
Best reality television show of the year Baking is back in favour with the British public – after not
appearing in the top 10 on 2019’s
rankings, the Great British Bake Off has shot to the top this year alongside
Gogglebox to tie for best reality show of the year, with 15% each. Strictly
Come Dancing – making history this year with its first all-male dancing
couple in John
and Johannes – ranks in third at 12%.
Best actor of the year When it comes to the best actor of 2021, there is a three-way tie.
Daniel Craig, star of the British public’s favourite film of 2021 No Time to
Die, 2021 Emmy Award winner David Tennant and Free Guy lead Ryan Reynolds
winning 9% of the vote each. Tom Hardy, first place in 2019, drops to fourth
place with 7%.
Best actress of the year ‘The Crown’ star Olivia Colman is Britain’s favourite actress for the
third time in a row, with 12% of the vote. Killing Eve actress Jodie Comer,
who recently starred in Free Guy alongside other favourite actor Ryan
Reynolds, is a close second with 11%, and Judi Dench third at 9%.
Best television personality of 2021 For the third time running, Sir David Attenborough is the British
public’s favourite television personality of the year with 20% of the vote.
The Chase presenter Bradley Walsh and famous
farmer Jeremy Clarkson tie for second place with 11%.
(YouGov UK) December 31, 2021 Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/entertainment/articles-reports/2021/12/31/yougovs-best-2021 NORTH
AMERICA
723-43-08/Polls Women Are More Likely Than Men To Feel Burned Out At Work, 34% Vs
26%, The Gap Has Only Widened During The Pandemic
Working women report more on-the-job burnout than working men do, and
the gap has only widened during the pandemic. In 2019, 30% of women and 27% of men said they "always" or
"very often" felt burned out at work. That three-percentage-point
gap expanded to 12 points in the pandemic-era months of 2020, from March to
December, and has averaged eight points in 2021 -- 34% of women and 26% of
men this year have reported feeling burned out.
Line graph. Trend in percentage of U.S. employees who always or very
often feel burned out at work, by gender. Burnout among women was 30% in 2019
but expanded to 34% in 2020 and remains 34% in 2021. Burnout among men was
27% in 2019, fell to 22% in 2020 and is 26% in 2021. The expanded gender gap in worker burnout seen during the pandemic is
the result of two shifts since 2019 -- increased burnout among women and
decreased burnout among men. Burnout among men has varied, dipping
significantly to 22% in 2020 and then rising to 26% this year, but is still
just below the 27% recorded in 2019. By contrast, women's burnout increased
four points to 34% in 2020 and remains at that level in 2021. Why Does the Burnout Gender Gap Matter, and
What Is Contributing to It? To be clear, burnout among working men is still far too common, with
about one in four currently experiencing it on a regular basis. Employees who
reach this breaking point of always or very often feeling burned out at work
are 23% more likely to visit the emergency room, 63% more likely to take a
sick day and 2.6
times as likely to leave their employer. Burnout is a serious workplace
issue for all genders, races, ethnicities and job types. However, the disproportionate increase in burnout among working women
during the pandemic has resulted in a third of them dealing with it as a
routine part of their job -- a figure that demands attention. To help inform how this imbalance can be rectified, Gallup
researchers studied several factors that could potentially be associated with
the expanded gap. A key discovery is that there is no simple answer --
instead, several potential factors emerged requiring further exploration. The following considerations and insights can help spark important
conversations about closing the burnout gender gap. Remote Work Women who spend part of their week working remotely (hybrid) are at
higher burnout risk (38% in 2021) than women who work exclusively from home
(31%) or fully on-site (34%). In contrast, burnout among men tends to be
unrelated to their remote work arrangement -- their burnout risk is the same
regardless of whether they work fully on-site, work exclusively from home or are
hybrid. Turning to workplace hypotheses, are women being tasked with more of
the team coordination and communication activities associated with a hybrid
environment where people have highly individualized work schedules? Sixty
percent of employees in remote-capable jobs prefer to be hybrid
workers long-term. Thus, now is the time to start discussing what that means
for women. Roles and Responsibilities The burnout gender gap is relatively consistent across most
industries and, importantly, is just as evident among white-collar workers as
among workers at large. But within organizations, there is a sizable burnout gender gap among
workers who are in individual contributor or project manager roles. Women in
these types of positions are significantly more likely than their male
counterparts to feel burned out, suggesting they could be dealing with
different workload expectations during the pandemic -- either at home, at the
office or both. Conversely, there is little difference by gender in burnout among
workers in managerial positions. These findings suggest that workload and
support may be more equitable between genders for people in managerial roles
than in individual contributor and project manager roles. Parenthood The gap in burnout between men and women is just as wide among
workers without school-age children (under 18) as among those with school-age
children. When specific aspects of childcare are studied, notable contributions
to the gender gap in burnout emerge, but none of these factors prove to be
the clear driving force behind the gap. For instance, caring for children and
experiencing interruptions to school and daycare are prime ways the pandemic
has disrupted people's normal lives, but these factors only modestly affect
the burnout gender gap. This may not be entirely surprising, as schools largely found ways to
reopen after the initial surge of the pandemic and people have acclimated to
their new work routines. Additionally, previous
Gallup research demonstrates that burnout tends to be most strongly
influenced by how people experience work and how they are managed. Nonetheless, family responsibilities and work-life balance are part
of every parent's wellbeing equation and should be part of the burnout
discussion -- even if they are not the direct causes of the burnout gender
gap. As we continue to research the experiences of working mothers, further
insights into factors contributing to their burnout will be explored. Concerns About COVID-19 It's also important to note that the pandemic
itself imposes disproportionate stress on women, as women are much more
likely than men to say they worry about getting COVID-19. Workers of both
genders who are "very" or "somewhat" worried about
getting the virus are substantially more likely to be burned out. But because
women are more likely to be in this high-worry group, they are also higher on
burnout. The concern here should be how the emotional stress created by the
health aspect of the pandemic can stack on top of work-related
responsibilities and challenges. Recommendations for Employers The heightened rate of burnout for working women necessitates
immediate concern and action. Now is the time to address what may be
systemically causing workload and stress disparities for women in your
organization. Here's what your organization can do to start the conversation and
shrink the burnout gender gap:
Gallup recommends routinely measuring and tracking workplace teams'
wellbeing and engagement using brief employee surveys to unearth hidden
challenges -- like the burnout gender gap. These insights can help identify
where your greatest burnout risks are occurring. Data alone won't solve the
problem, but these facts will help start the right conversations needed to
uncover the right answers and create accountability for solving them.
Start by discussing the top
five causes of burnout Gallup discovered and what your team can do
about them. Pay special attention to the cultural, procedural and systemic
factors that may be affecting women differently. Follow up with regular
check-ins designed to identify potential burnout risks your team is facing
and inform the creation of new norms to better support one another. Because the No. 1 cause of burnout is feeling treated unfairly at
work, alarm bells should be ringing if your conversations or data uncover a
gender gap in burnout or in how people believe they are treated at work. And
given their elevated burnout rate, be especially vigilant about your burnout
surveillance for women working hybrid (partly on-site, partly at home).
At the same time, leaders and managers should be mindful that their
personal experiences and circumstances with gender equality at work may be
very different than those of the team members they lead. (Gallup) DECEMBER 27, 2021 Source: https://www.gallup.com/workplace/358349/gender-gap-worker-burnout-widened-amid-pandemic.aspx 723-43-09/Polls Generation Z and millennials less engaged
and more stressed at work
According to Gallup's most recent State of the Global Workplace report, the pandemic affected
younger workers' careers more negatively in 2020 than older workers'. Younger
employees (those under 40) also experienced more stress and anger, lower
employee engagement, and lower wellbeing than older workers. The Gallup World Poll surveys adults aged 15 and older, which means
these findings include millennials (born 1980 to 1996) and working-age
Generation Z employees (born after 1996). These results should be a warning sign for international leaders and
global employers who care about the future of their institutions. When paired
with pre-COVID data showing that wellbeing has been the No. 1 concern for young job seekers,
it is clear that leaders must prioritize employee wellbeing to win in the
future. Let's take a look at the key
generational findings from the report: The first year of the pandemic hit younger
workers harder than older workers. In 2020, Gallup asked several questions related to COVID-19. Across
the board, workers under 40 reported greater pandemic effects.
Bar chart. COVID-19 has affected people's lives differently based on
their age group. Those under age 40 are more likely to say their life has
been affected a lot by the pandemic, and are more likely to say they lost
pay, worked fewer hours, and lost a job or business. (The margin of sampling error for the global report data referenced
in this article is less than one percentage point at the 95% confidence
level.) Most notably, younger workers were more likely than older workers to
say they temporarily stopped working (by 10 percentage points) or lost a job
or business (by nine points). This may be a result of younger workers in
entry-level or part-time work. However, many millennials entered the
workforce during the Great Recession -- a disadvantage that likely compounded
the economic and emotional strain of the pandemic. It may take many years
before we can fully appreciate how much the pandemic harmed younger workers
during their prime career-building, wealth-building years. Negative emotions increased across the
workforce in 2020, with anger and stress higher for workers under 40. Daily worry, stress, anger and sadness reached record levels among
the world's employees in 2020. The pandemic has been not only a physical
health crisis but a mental health crisis as well. And for younger workers,
it's even more acute. Younger workers experienced more stress (44%) than did
older workers (42%) in the first year of the pandemic. Perhaps even more troubling, more employees under 40 experienced
anger a lot of the previous day (26%) than did older employees (22%). It's worth noting that negative emotions have been rising for several
years for all workers prior to the pandemic. In addition, younger workers in
the past have been more likely to experience anger and stress, but in 2020,
they were experiencing this at a slightly higher rate. This suggests the
pandemic does not entirely explain higher stress and anger among younger
workers, because it has persisted across time. The pandemic may have had some
impact, as Gallup has also found that younger workers were more likely to
report significant impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic -- such as receiving
less money than usual from their work, working fewer hours, having
temporarily stopped working at their job or business, or losing their job or
business. Gallup also asked three items related to ESG (environmental, social
and governance) factors. Younger employees were more likely to report
corruption in business and to be less satisfied with efforts to preserve the
environment in their country. Seventy-two percent of workers under 40 said
corruption in business is widespread within their country, compared with 67%
of those aged 40 and older. Employees under 40 have lower workplace
engagement and lower overall wellbeing than older employees do. Given the generational divide on COVID-19 life impact and negative
daily emotions, it's perhaps not surprising that those under 40 have slightly
lower employee engagement than older employees do (18% vs. 21% engaged,
respectively) and lower "thriving" wellbeing (31% vs. 33%). When employees are disengaged at work, they are unlikely to impress
customers, be creative or go the extra mile. And when employees are suffering
in their overall wellbeing -- for example, experiencing loneliness, financial
insecurity or health problems -- they are not able to bring their best selves
to work. At worst, suffering employees burn out, quit and share their bad
experiences with others. The hard truth? If you lead a typical organization, most of your
employees are not engaged at work and about two-thirds are not thriving. Millennials and Gen Z want employers who
care about their wellbeing. Before the pandemic, Gallup asked workers what
they look for most in an employer. The No. 1 response for Gen Z and
millennials was this: The
organization cares about employees' wellbeing. The pandemic only raised the stakes with employee wellbeing -- in
terms of everything from physical safety for front-line workers to greater
flexibility and support for remote workers juggling upset family
routines. Wellbeing is no longer
merely a perk, a benefit or a program to keep healthcare costs low. Caring
for employees is a basic expectation for employees to show up to work. The hard truth? If you lead a typical organization, most of your
employees are not engaged at work and about two-thirds are not thriving. Leaders, particularly those who come from older generations, also
need to recognize that wellbeing
support looks different for different stages of life. Younger
workers may have unique challenges that simply are not the common experience
of older veteran employees. In addition, recognize that typical
or traditional career paths have changed. Many millennials have
experienced both the Great Recession and now a global pandemic. Employers
should revisit what job requirements or expectations are truly necessary for
success. For leaders, the first step to showing you care about your millennial
and Gen Z employees is to start a dialogue about expectations and needs.
Expand the conversation beyond physical health to include dimensions like
financial and social wellbeing, which influence health too. And make career
development more personalized to fit the complexity of modern life. Millennial and Gen Z burnout is not inevitable. But the solution
begins with employers who listen, care and take action. (Gallup) DECEMBER 28, 2021 Source: https://www.gallup.com/workplace/358385/younger-workers-worse.aspx 723-43-10/Polls Over Half Of Americans Believe The Country's Economy Is Headed In The
Wrong Direction
Washington, DC, December 29,
2021 – A Reuters/Ipsos poll from earlier this
month (Dec 13-17) found that over half of Americans (56%) believe the
national economy and the country generally is headed in the wrong direction.
This is driven primarily by Republicans (81%), but over half of independents
(59% and 63% for each) agree as well. Forty percent of Americans blieve the
Democratic party has the better plan for healthcare, compared to only 27% who
believe it is Republicans. Over half of Republicans (54%) say they would
support Trump as the Republican nominee for President in 2022, Ron DeSantis
is a distant second at 11%, 14% say they aren’t sure. Nearly three-quarters
(73%) of Americans say they are concerned about COVID-19, this includes 88%
of Democrats, 58% of Republicans, and 71% of independents. The same
proportion (73%) agree that inflation is a very big concern for her and 69%
say the wealthiest Americans should pay higher taxes. Forty percent of Americans believe the U.S. Congress is mostly
dysfunctional, but occasionally can get things done. A third of Americans
(32%) know that if the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade it would results
in laws governing abortion to be made at the state level, allowing it to
remain legal in some states and become illegal in others. 16% believe
abortion would become illegal in the U.S. immediately. Overall though,
Americans are split over their opinions on abortion. One-quarter of Americans
(25%) believe it should be illegal in most cases, while 26% believe it should
be legal in most cases, and 23% believe it should be legal in all cases. 14%
are unsure, and 12% (mostly Republicans (19%)) believe it should be illegal
in all cases. They are also split on who should decide whether abortion is legal
or not: 38% say the federal government, 34% say each state government, and
28% are unsure. Less than half (48%) approve of President Biden’s performance
in office. (Ipsos US) 29 December 2021 723-43-11/Polls American Have Mixed Expectations On The Start Of New Year
Year two of the pandemic draws to a close. What a rollercoaster it’s
been. In some ways, it feels like we’re right back where we were twelve
months ago. At the start of the year, cases were rising to new heights. And
today, once again, COVID levels are already breaking new records as we buckle
down for another tough winter. Yet also like last year, there is still hope on the horizon. Early
last year, vaccines appeared to promise the end of COVID once and for all.
While that did not play out exactly as hoped, we can take heart in the fact
the current spike will cause less severe illness in some cases, in part
because so many more people are vaccinated now. Either way, COVID still overshadows many aspects of everyday life. As
we count down the final hours of 2021, we take a look at the ups and downs
people felt. Back to normal. How
to define “normal” after a global pandemic? Last spring, many began to hope
that a post-COVID normal was close at hand. Things have changed since,
and opinion has shifted along with levels of concern
about COVID. For the concerned, normal is still elusive. For more than half
of the unconcerned, it’s already here. Rise and fall. There
were points last year where COVID genuinely did appear to be on the wane.
Levels of concern about COVID tracked with it – down in the spring and early
summer, up again with Delta and Omicron. Reengaging with the world. People
began socializing again once a majority of the adult population was
vaccinated – whether
or not they had received the shot. Although concern about the virus
is still very much a part of daily life, few have been willing to relinquish
those social bonds, once reestablished.
So, where does the close of 2021 leave us? Our Axios-Ipsos tracking data stops off in mid-December,
so we wait to early 2022 for a full accounting of how Omicron has impacted
people’s behavior and sentiment. But our available data indicates that the
public is increasingly exasperated, and once again more concerned about the
trajectory of the pandemic. (Ipsos US) Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/news-polls/mixed-expectations 723-43-12/Polls Finances, Forecasts And Fireworks: Four In Ten (41%) Canadians Are
Hailing In The New Year With A Resolution About Their Financial Wellbeing
As central banks around the world are adjusting their monetary policy
toolkits in the attempt to tamp down decades-high inflationary trends,
financial health also dominates Canadians’ forecasts for the coming New Year.
A recent Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of Global News reveals that four in
ten (41%) Canadians will make a New Year’s resolution about their finances.
Nearly half (48%) are resolved to pay off debts in 2022, while the same
proportion (48%) considers the price of groceries and food to be the main
barrier to their financial security. Finances and Health as Priorities for the
New Year While Canadians’ traditional end-of-year contemplations are tinted
with signs reflecting harder times, most remain cautiously optimistic in
their predictions for the coming year:
Canadians’ optimism for the New Year appears to be mainly channeled
towards two main priorities: financial
wellbeing and physical health. Almost half (48%) think they will
make a New Year’s resolution about their physical health – a commitment which
appears more attractive to younger age groups (18-34: 59% and 35-54: 50% vs.
39% for 55+). Moreover, four in ten (41%) Canadians believe they will make a
New Year’s resolution about their finances, which is significantly higher
among households that have children (52%) compared to those who don’t (37%).
Elsewhere, under four in ten (37%) are resolved to improve their mental
health - a belief more widely held among women (43%) (vs. 30% for men).
Likewise, over a third (35%) of Canadians think their New Year’s resolution
will center around their family life, which skews significantly towards
households that have kids (48% vs. 31% for those who don’t). A similar
proportion think they will dedicate the coming year to learning a new skill
or hobby (33%) or advancing their work/career/education (32%). Interestingly, younger
generations and Quebecers stand out as the most eager to hail
in the New Year with fresh resolutions:
Financial projects and barriers When further prodding those who believe their New Year’s resolution
will center around their finances, nearly half (48%) are considering paying
off their debts. A similar proportion (45%) are committed to making a budget
and sticking to it, which tends to skew towards households with children (54%
vs. 41% for those who don’t). Elsewhere, over a third (36%) of Canadians want
to save for a rainy day, while a similar proportion are projecting to save
for their retirement or invest more in the coming year (34% for both). Almost
a quarter (23%) are committed to learning more about finances in 2022, which
is more widely held among those aged between 18-34 (33%) (compared to 20%
among those between 35-54 and 8% among those 55+). While only 1% specifically outline inflation and the cost of living
as the main barriers to ensure their financial security, Canadians most
frequently indicate the affordability of groceries and housing as the main
pressure points for themselves and their families. Almost half of Canadians (48%) are worried about the
cost of groceries and food; an anxiety which is most prevalent for
households earning under $40K a year (62% vs. 52%: $40K - <$60K; 43%: $60K
- <$100K; 33%: $100K+). Housing costs remain the second most-cited barrier
to financial security - preoccupying one third (31%) of Canadians. This is
higher among those aged between 18-34 and 35-54 (respectively 33% and 36% vs.
24% among those 55+); as well as residents of British Columbia (38%) and
Ontario (39%) (vs. 28% AB, 24% SK/MB, 20% QC, 18% Atlantic provinces). A fifth believe that debt (20%), transportation (20%) and their
ability to save (21%) represent the most significant challenges to their
financial wellbeing, while more than one in ten believe low wages (15%) and
healthcare costs (11%) to be the main negative factors. Meanwhile, 14%
believe themselves to be already financially secure. (Ipsos Canada) 28 December 2021 Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/news-polls/canadians-new-year-resolutions-finances 723-43-13/Polls Canadians Remain Resilient: Despite The Roller Coaster Of 2021, Most
Canadians Have A Positive Outlook On Their Personal Happiness, Health Closing
Out The Year
The end of the year is typically a time of reflection and taking
stock of the last 12 months. In a time of unprecedented uncertainty, a new
Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of Global News finds that Canadians retain a
remarkable level of positivity about their personal situation in spite of the
challenges 2021 has presented, consistent with how they felt closing out
2020. While just under half (46%) of Canadians agree that 2021 was better
than they thought it would be, a strong majority rate their personal
happiness (77%), health (76%), and social life (69%) positively. Compared to
this time last year, Canadians’ ratings of their health are down slightly (-4
pts), but their ratings of their social lives have increased by nine points.
Two-thirds rate their financial situation positively (66%), unchanged from
December 2020. Conversely, 34% remain in a bad financial situation. Consistent with research throughout the pandemic, those in Quebec
have a higher level of optimism compared to other regions in the country.
Quebecers are more likely to rate the personal happiness, health, social
life, and sex or romantic life positively compared to the other regions. For
instance, 68% of Quebecers rate their sex or romantic life as positive
compared to the other provinces (compared to 61% SK/MB, 57% BC, 57% ATL, 56%
ON, 43% AB), and 83% positively assess their personal happiness (compared to
78% BC, 77% SK/MB, 74% ON, 71% AB, 70% ATL). Older Canadians are less positive about their sex or romantic life
compared younger Canadians (50% 55+ vs 62% 35-54, 62% 18-34), though they
are more positive
about their personal happiness than younger Canadians, especially those ages
18-34 (82% 55+ vs 76% 35-54, 69% 18-34). Thinking about these various aspects of
your life, would you rate them to be good or bad? % Rating Very/Somewhat Good
Canadians’ Sense of Financial Security Down
as Costs of Living Rise Compared to December 2020, fewer Canadians say they have financial
security (14%, -9 pts). With the dramatic inflation of basic necessities in
Canada over the past few months, it is perhaps unsurprising that half of
Canadians (48%) find the greatest barrier to financial security to be grocery
and food costs. Housing costs (31%) are the second highest cited barrier for
financial security. Older Canadians are more likely to cite groceries/food costs (59% 55+
vs 47% 35-54 vs 34% 18-34). On the other hand, younger adults ages 18-34
(33%) and 35-54 (36%) are more likely to cite housing costs (mortgage, rent)
as a barrier than those aged 55+ (24%). Those in British Columbia and Ontario
are more likely to cite housing costs as the greatest barrier to financial
security (39% ON, 38% BC vs 28% AB, 24% SK/MB, 20% QC, 18% ATL). Moreover, while Canadians’ appraisals of their own financial
situation (for better or worse) has not changed since December 2020, the
portion of Canadians citing barriers to financial security has risen
dramatically in the last year, with grocery costs (+36 pts), housing costs
(+19 pts), transportation (+18 pts), debt (+11), the ability to save (+10
pts) all rising in the double digits. Close behind are increases in the
portion citing taxes (17%, +9 pts) and, notably, low wages (15%, + 8 pts), a
reflection of major shifts in Canadians’ relationship with work since the
pandemic began. Thinking about your current situation, what
is the greatest barrier to financial security for you and your family?
Half of Canadians Cut Spending This Year In alignment with rising cost of living, half (48%) of Canadians say
they have cut their spending in the past 12 months, a decrease of three
points since this time last year. Those 55+ are more likely to say they cut
their spending than those aged 18-34 (54% 55+, 46% 35-54, 43% 18-34). In terms of other changes during 2021, there has been an increase in
those who say they started a new job or pursued additional training (17%, +3
pts). Just under one-third (27%) say they struggled with mental health during
the past 12 months, on par with this time last year (-1 pt). Women are more
likely to report having struggled than men (34% vs 19%), as are younger
Canadians (40% 18-34 vs 27% 35-54, 17% 55+). Similar portions of Canadians
say they are either in better shape than they were a year ago (33%, no change
since 2020) or they have gained weight (29%, -1 pt). Thinking about the past 12 months, which of
the following apply to you personally?
(Ipsos Canada) 30 December 2021 MULTICOUNTRY
STUDIES
723-43-14/Polls Buzzing Car Brands Among American And British Gamers
The automotive sector and gaming sector have close ties. According to
data collected by YouGov Profiles, racing games are the fourth most popular
category of games played on consoles or PCs among Brits. In light of the recent launch of Forza Horizon 5 and the upcoming
release of Gran Turismo 7 next quarter, we look at the car brands that are
resonating among video gamers in Great Britain and the United States this
holiday season. We dip into data from YouGov BrandIndex to list out the top
brands that are generating Buzz among gamers in each market. A car brand’s Buzz score is a net measure based on responses to two
questions: “Over the past two weeks, which of the following car makers have
you heard something positive about?” and “Now which of the following car
makers have you heard something negative about?”. By calculating the
difference between these two scores, we create our Buzz metric. Gamers in this piece are defined as those who play video games for at
least an hour per week. Ford tops the Buzz score ranking among video gamers in the US, with a
score of 17.9. The car maker recently launched
two popular models – Mustang Mach E and
1965 Mustang Shelby GT350R – on Rocket League. Jeep (14.6) lands the second spot, with Chevrolet (13.5) coming in
third. Toyota, which has the highest Buzz score among the general American
population over the last 30 days at 19.4, scores 12.9 among gamers during the
same period. The next two spots on the list are also occupied by Japanese
brands – Honda (11.8) and Subaru (10.6). Honda recently launched the Honda
EvoTrack mobile game, which allows players to take even some soon-to-be-released
models for a spin. General Motors takes the seventh spot with a score of 10.5, followed
by Nissan (8.6), Lexus (7.7) and Volvo (6.3). Video gamers in Britain are generally far less likely to have heard
positive things about car brands, the Buzz metric reveals. Mercedes-Benz,
which tops the list among British gamers, scores just 4.6. The
Germany-headquartered carmaker is a partner of the game publisher, Riot Games
and recently unveiled a commemorative
championship ring for the 2021 League of Legends World
Championship. Škoda (4), Ford (4), Kia (3.2) and Lexus (3.2) are the other brands
that make up the top five table among British gamers. During the same period,
Škoda scored only 2 points with the general population. The uptick among
gamers might have to do with the brand’s e-sport activations, such as
the Škoda
Motorsport eChallenge. Toyota (3.1) claims the sixth spot, followed by Range Rover (3.0) and
Honda (2.7). The German duo of Porsche (2.6) and Volkswagen (2.4) round out
the top ten list of car makers among British gamers. (YouGov UK) December 31, 2021 723-43-15/Polls Circa 2022 Will Be Better Than 2021, 71% Agree Globally
8 in 10 urban Indians (80%) and
61% of the global citizens polled predict the Economy to emerge stronger in
2022. The markets most optimistic were China (87%), India (80%), and Saudi Arabia
(79%). The least optimistic were Turkey (40%), Belgium (44%) and Russia
(45%). Further, there is optimism
around city centers getting busy
again with life limping back ro normalcy around people
getting back to offices again – 7 in 10 agree globally (71%), India has 3 in
4 agreeing (74%) and interestingly, all 33 markets have more number of
respondents feeling optimistic – markets at the top were China (87%),
Malaysia (86%), Netherlands (81%) and Israel (80%). While most global citizens
disagree, at least 6 in 10 Urban Indians (60%) expect people to get
more tolerant towards
each other in 2022. Markets that expect this more likely to happen, were
China (83%), Malaysia (66%), Vaxx Jabs
– More
than 80% of the global population will receive at least one dose of COVID19
vaccine has about polarisation of views among global citizens (56% agree) and
the markets that agreed most included Peru (81%), China (80%), Malaysia
(79%), Brazil (76%), India (75%) and Mexico (75%). Markets agreeing least
were Hungary (29%), Poland (33%) and Germany (33%). Commenting on
the findings of the survey, Amit
Adarkar, CEO, Ipsos India said, "Most respondents are
optimistic of the bright prospects for 2022 and expect the economy to grow,
vaccination drive to accelerate and cover majority of population and further
they expect tolerance levels to improve. Full recovery is still a long way
off and Omicron surge could spoil the party if stern measures of isolation,
vaccination and other protocols are not taken to stop the spread."
Key trends
emerging in 2022 People could fly less than they did in 2019: 45%
global citizens polled hold this view; India showed polarized views with 1 in
2 (52%) agreeing; Markets agreeing most were China (68%), Singapore (67%) and
Malaysia (66%). And markets agreeing least were Belgium (27%), Saudi Arabia
(29%), Colombia (34%), South Korea (35%) and Netherlands (35%). Prices will
outpace people’s incomes is the perception of most global citizens
(75%). Markets agreeing most were Russia (88%), Chile (85%), Netherlands
(85%), Romania (85%) and Colombia (84%). India had at least 2 in 3 agreeing
(68%). Market agreeing least was Japan (33%). A lot more
people will live their lives in virtual worlds was the view of at least 57% of global
citizens polled and 6 in 10 Urban Indians (60%); markets agreeing most were
Turkey (77%), Malaysia (75%), Brazil (74%), Poland (72%) and Singapore (72%).
Markets agreeing the least were Japan (18%), China (33%) and Saudi Arabia
(36%). Strict rules for
large Technology companies could be introduced by the govt, expect China (74%), India (64%),
Malaysia (59%) and Singapore (57%) most. More extreme
weather events could take place in 2022 feel 6 in 10 global citizens;
India had 62% predicting. Markets most wary of adverse weather events taking
place were Netherlands (72%), Great Britain (69%), Australia (68%) and Italy
(68%). Saudi Arabia (27%) had least expecting it to happen. A rogue AI
program that can’t be shutdown and could cause global havoc – 27% global citizens feared it could
happen in 2022 ; markets agreeing most were Malaysia (56%), India (46%)
and Turkey (43%). Markets agreeing least were Hungary (15%), Sweden (16%),
Netherlands (18%), Denmark (18%) and Canada (18%). "Price
will outpace incomes and escapism in the virtual world will grow, also strict
laws for large tech companies by govt could happen are some of the
predictions. Inflation, binge watching of content will be carry forwarded to
2022, believe most," added Adarkar.
Other Predictions There were predictions around the stock market crash, natural disaster,
global IT shutdown due to hacking by a foreign govt., use of nuclear weapons,
asteroid hitting the Earth, Aliens visiting the Earth etc. Circa 2021 was a
bad year for most! 77% of global citizens and 73% of
urban Indians claim 2021 was a bad
year for their country. Countries endorsing this view most
were Romania (89%), South
Korea (89%) and Spain (89%). Markets agreeing least were China (41%) and
Saudi Arabia (48%). 2021 was also a bad year for them and their families. 58%
of global citizens and 63% of Indians agreed. And the markets that held this
view most were South Africa (77%), South Korea (74%) and Turkey (74%). And
the markets least impacted were China (39%), Sweden (40%) and Netherlands
(42%). 2022 Goals 3 in 4 global citizens (75%) and
4 in 5 urban Indians (80%) have resolved to do specific things for themselves and
others in 2022. Markets holding
this view most were - China (96%), Colombia (93%), Mexico (92%) and Peru
(92%). And agreeing least were Sweden (23%) and Japan (44%). "The
verdict is out. 2021 was a bad year for countries, individuals and their
families. Citizens polled are going to prioritize themselves and work with
their communities as they step into a spanking new year," Adarkar said. (Ipsos India) 30 December 2021 |
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