This month’s Pulse data paints a picture of a U.S. workforce standing at a fragile crossroads. CIvicScience’s Economic Sentiment index indicates worry about finding a new job and stability of the economy overall amid tariff tensions and stock market jitters. Broader economic confidence is down a sharp 880bps since January 2025 - it is the lowest confidence our partners at CivicScience have seen since 2020.

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This tension is reflected on the job: engagement levels have hit a 14-month low, with just 60% of workers saying they feel sometimes, or always engaged at work. And yet, three out of four say they’re happy in their jobs—especially those earning over $100,000, who report 11 percentage points higher job happiness than their lower-income peers. The big question: are people happy to be employed, or happy in their roles?

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The data suggests that nearly half of U.S. workers aren’t happy with the leaders around them. Trust in leaders continues to slide - from trust in their CEO, to admiration for direct leaders. Differences across income, race, age, and education levels tell a layered story of disconnection, care gaps, and belonging—especially for younger, lower-income, and less formally educated workers.

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Yet amidst this gloom, emotional well-being is showing signs of resilience. Happiness is slowly recovering from January’s post-inauguration dip, even while fear and worry continue to creep upward. U.S. workers may be bracing for impact—but they haven’t given up hope.

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Dive into the full Pulse of the U.S. Workforce report to explore the data from over 100,000 U.S. workers, and benchmark your team against national patterns. Subscribe today to unlock the insights.

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