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According to a poll of 1,000 Americans conducted on 13 December by OnePoll and reported by StudyFinds.org on 22 December, half the respondents, asked for an “end of year reflection” on 2021, characterized it as “the worst year of their lives so far.”
Across the age groups surveyed (Baby Boomers, aged 57 or older; Generation X, aged 41 to 56; Millennials, aged 25 to 40; and Generation Z, aged 18 to 24), almost 8 in 10 described themselves as “optimists,” or as “idealists” who “envision things as they could be.”
About 2 in 10, however, saw themselves as “realists” who “see things as they are.” 53 percent felt that 2021 had been a “very unpleasant” year for them, although about 7 in 10 are still bullish on 2022.
66 percent of Millennials and only slightly fewer Gen Zers reported that 2021 had been a “tough year”; 43 percent of Gen Xers felt it hadn’t been their best year. But 56 percent of Boomers disputed that assessment.
The 861 respondents who are parents were also questioned about how 2021 had affected their parenting. 66 percent of them felt that parenting was more difficult in 2021 than in 2020, when the COVID War began.
About 73 percent, however, feel that 2022 will be an improvement. Areas of concern included homeschooling, in-person vs. remote schooling, COVID-related cost-of-living increases and generally “keeping the kids safe.”
The most difficulties were reported by Millennial parents, followed by Gen Z and Gen X, with Boomers reporting relatively few parenting issues.
Slightly more men than women are looking forward to 2022, although (as noted) most people tend to be optimistic. However, more men than women reported that the COVID War made them re-evaluate their parenting style.
The survey also queried subjects about their work lives; of employed workers, 9 out of 10 reported being eager to return to full-time, in-person work. 48 percent expected to actually do so, while 21 percent didn’t picture themselves returning to a physical workspace; so far, only 14 percent have actually done so.
The eagerness to return to work extends to looking forward to wearing work attire or uniforms and even to commuting and eating cafeteria food, although 66 percent reported unease over anticipated social interactions and wished they could permanently work from home.
A large percentage of the respondents looked forward to getting a better job in 2022, or to getting a raise or promotion from their current employer.
TRENDPOST: Whether the anticipated return of workers to office environments actually takes place on a scale approaching a return to normalcy has yet to be determined; see “WILL OMICRON KILL MORE BUSINESSES THAN PEOPLE?” (21 Dec 2021).
TREND FORECAST: This recent poll notwithstanding, Trends Journal sees no reason to revise its forecast—see “WORKERS STAYING HOME: COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE DISASTER LOOMING” (19 Oct 2021), “NEW YORK OFFICE VACANCIES SET RECORD” (13 Jul 2021) and earlier—that, after experiencing the luxury of working at home and not commuting, most employees will be in no hurry to return.
And so, while there will be a steady flow back to central offices, it will be many years before occupancy rates ever return to pre-COVID War levels; see also “WORK-FROM-HOME: 21st CENTURY MEGA-TREND” (22 Jun 2021).