When comparing US research above with last month’s survey in the UK it is remarkable how the mood in the workplace is so similar on both sides of the Atlantic.
We pick out some of the relatively few differences:
The UK seems more averse to additional work caused by the economic situation.
25% of respondents in the UK felt they were being taken advantage of, compared with only 18% in the US. Americans seem readier to accept the extra demands that the situation is placing on individuals.
The departments viewed as causing most problems were very similar with a couple of important exceptions. In the US, IT is the biggest problem-causer affecting 24% of executives. In the UK, IT is number 3 and is only cited as causing problems by 14% or people.
The Finance department is the number 2 problem causer in the UK but is only 6th on the list in the US where it appears not to be a big issue. The UK appears to have an issue with Finance departments getting in the way.
People’s worries about their families appear very different.
Top concerns in UK are:
- Children’s debt to fund University
- Ever-increasing cost of living
- How their children will get on the property ladder
In the US their top concerns are:
- Ever-increasing cost of living
- Funding “my” retirement
Clearly University fees are new in UK and have always existed in the US. Property in the US remains available at much cheaper prices.
In the UK supply remains well short of demand and pricing is (where any property is being sold) relatively high.
Finally and most worryingly, business confidence in the US is down and is now at the lowest level since we began our surveys in August 2009.