Money Americans are working less - Page 7

**HemiEd** · 03-26-2025, 05:51 AM

I have my own theories on this, such as the stay at home working during covid and the stimulus money being the worst thing that has happened in a very long time.

Why Americans Are Working Less

Gallup finds that average hours worked have dropped progressively since 2019 when U.S. employees reported working an average of 44.1 hours. In 2024, they work 42.9 hours per week.

The decline in hours worked is more pronounced among younger (those younger than 35) than older workers (those aged 35 and older). Between 2019 and 2024, older employees have seen an average reduction of just under one hour per person per week, while younger employees have reduced their hours by nearly two hours.

Over a year, that’s the equivalent of older employees taking an extra week off of work and younger employees taking two weeks. These trends apply to full-time employees working at least 30 hours per week.

Possible Reasons for the Drop in Average Hours Worked per Week
Several new findings may explain this shift:

Overall employee wellbeing has been on the decline.
Employees now have less trust in institutions in general and feel more detached from their employers.
After a decade of steady improvement, employee engagement has reverted to its 2014 level.
Advances in technology may be making work more efficient. Gallup finds that nearly half (45%) of employees say AI has helped them improve their productivity. However, a workforce that is becoming more technically efficient and less engaged may lack the motivation needed for long-term growth.
Employees -- especially younger ones -- now place a higher priority on their overall wellbeing. In fact, work-life balance and better overall wellbeing now rank among the most important considerations when choosing a new job.
Additionally, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows declines in overall hours worked per person, particularly in industries that traditionally employ more young workers such as retail, leisure and hospitality.

The Connection Between Hours Worked and Employee Burnout
Burnout may be a major reason why employees are working fewer hours. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified “burnout” as a work-related syndrome resulting from chronic stress.

Previous Gallup research has found that an unmanageable workload is one of the contributing factors to burnout. This may help explain why employees report higher burnout (very often or always) as the number of hours they work rises above 45 hours per week.

more here

https://www.gallup.com/workplace/658...78644b3aaad4a0

Mosbonian · 03-26-2025, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IowaHawkeyeChief

Wages have been pushed down by NAFTA and illegal immigration. This is not meant to be a political statement as it is documented and quantifiable. I was a free market guy as an Economics major, but it has decimated the middle class. That being said, I see many of today's youths using door dash regularly, having the newest and best Iphone/Galaxy etc. Wealth doesn't come easy, but I've seen a lot of young folks with average jobs who are in great shape in their 30's.

This is what makes me shake my head......DoorDash, Uber Eats, or just dropping by the local deli on their way home to pick up the same meal they could make at home for 1/3 the cost and even have leftovers for lunch the next day.

I went to the local T-Mobile store last week....there were 10 customers in there....8 were easily under the age of 30 and the other 2 were me and a guy much the same age as me. The word constantly repeated was Iphone....

I still have my 1st generation Flip phone from 4 years ago and it does me fine...

(Rant over)

Pepe Silvia · 03-26-2025, 01:42 PM

It would be nice to get paid to perform like Russell Wilson.

|Zach| · 03-26-2025, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

This is what makes me shake my head......DoorDash, Uber Eats, or just dropping by the local deli on their way home to pick up the same meal they could make at home for 1/3 the cost and even have leftovers for lunch the next day.

I went to the local T-Mobile store last week....there were 10 customers in there....8 were easily under the age of 30 and the other 2 were me and a guy much the same age as me. The word constantly repeated was Iphone....

I still have my 1st generation Flip phone from 4 years ago and it does me fine...

(Rant over)

I don't agree with the idea that an iphone is a luxury. If you want to be competitive in today's job market you need a smartphone. Not for everything...but to not be tapped in like that would be extremely limiting.

BWillie · 03-26-2025, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

My joy came from spending time with my kids when I got home from work...even when I worked OT.

I made my kids a priority.....because it also provided the greatest joy in my life.

It's that simple......I don't get why people see kids as a burden.

I would love to have kids if I could only see them every other weekend lol

scho63 · 03-26-2025, 01:58 PM

The only time I worked 40 hrs a week is when I had a part time job.

Can remember last time did less than 50 hours in a week.

**DaFace** · 03-26-2025, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by |Zach|

I don't agree with the idea that an iphone is a luxury. If you want to be competitive in today's job market you need a smartphone. Not for everything...but to not be tapped in like that would be extremely limiting.

...even if we wish it weren't that way. I'd love to be able to actually disconnect at the end of the "work day."

Fish · 03-26-2025, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IowaHawkeyeChief

Wages have been pushed down by NAFTA and illegal immigration. This is not meant to be a political statement as it is documented and quantifiable. I was a free market guy as an Economics major, but it has decimated the middle class. That being said, I see many of today's youths using door dash regularly, having the newest and best Iphone/Galaxy etc. Wealth doesn't come easy, but I've seen a lot of young folks with average jobs who are in great shape in their 30's.

It's much more complicated than blaming illegal immigration and iPhones. The decline began well before NAFTA. Around the late 70s is when compensation started to lag dramatically behind productivity.

Wages were actually increased at the implementation of NAFTA if you look at the data. But haven't actually changed much overall since 1980, except for those at the top. It's actually gotten worse for the lowest group.

It also corresponds with the dramatic decline in union membership, which used to protect wages.

Meanwhile, CEO pay is out of control. Employers are providing less health coverage despite price increases.

https://www.epi.org/publication/char...ge-stagnation/

mr. tegu · 03-26-2025, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

A few months ago I was chatting with a young (late 20s) woman and we were talking about careers. She mentioned that her boyfriend "doesn't want a job", and it frustrated her. She said that he only wanted to play video games all day and then make money doing DoorDash deliveries and stuff part-time. She could see that he wasn't going to thrive long-term doing that. (She had a career going.).

I kind of worry about young men in our society. Something is happening that's sapping the drive of a lot of them. I've noticed it in some of the younger men that I know, and it's a really bad mindset.

I sympathized with the woman, and I thought that she should probably find a guy with some long-term potential. I think people need to be more ruthless and businesslike when choosing a mate.

There’s plenty of talk and information about young men issues and decline in motivation, drive, and goals. So your observations are certainly not alone.

As for choosing a mate, it’s the most important financial decision anyone will ever make.

**Bearcat** · 03-26-2025, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by |Zach|

I don't agree with the idea that an iphone is a luxury. If you want to be competitive in today's job market you need a smartphone. Not for everything...but to not be tapped in like that would be extremely limiting.

I think you can buy a pretty basic smartphone for a few hundred bucks though.. or refurbished, or just don't run out to buy the latest one every year.

I don't think spending the extra money on a new iPhone is the main issue... like he said, it's spending the extra coin on a new iPhone and then using DoorDash and also going out to eat a lot instead of cooking at home, and having several streaming subs, and then complaining that a 4 bedroom house or luxury apartment costs too much for a 25yo.

/shouts at cloud

Bl00dyBizkitz · 03-26-2025, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by |Zach|

I don't agree with the idea that an iphone is a luxury. If you want to be competitive in today's job market you need a smartphone. Not for everything...but to not be tapped in like that would be extremely limiting.

As someone loosely in IT, you literally need a smartphone to work at any decent office job. They all require MFA for cybersecurity insurance and most IT firms exclusively use an MFA app on your smartphone.

They are absolutely required.

**loochy** · 03-26-2025, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bl00dyBizkitz

As someone loosely in IT, you literally need a smartphone to work at any decent office job. They all require MFA for cybersecurity insurance and most IT firms exclusively use an MFA app on your smartphone.

They are absolutely required.

If a job needs me to use a smartphone then they need to provide the smartphone (which mine has - I have an iPhone). They don't expect me to use my own laptop too do they?

BWillie · 03-26-2025, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loochy

If a job needs me to use a smartphone then they need to provide the smartphone (which mine has - I have an iPhone). They don't expect me to use my own laptop too do they?

I don't think I've ever met anyone under 60 years old who doesn't have a smart phone, at least in the past 5 years.

All phones are fkn smart phones now.

mr. tegu · 03-26-2025, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearcat

I think you can buy a pretty basic smartphone for a few hundred bucks though.. or refurbished, or just don't run out to buy the latest one every year.

I don't think spending the extra money on a new iPhone is the main issue... like he said, it's spending the extra coin on a new iPhone and then using DoorDash and also going out to eat a lot instead of cooking at home, and having several streaming subs, and then complaining that a 4 bedroom house or luxury apartment costs too much for a 25yo.

/shouts at cloud

I think the Venn diagram of people who buy new iPhones every year and also utilize door dash for most of their meals is basically a circle. Basically people that make bad financial decisions do so in all aspects of their spending habits.

WilliamTheIrish · 03-26-2025, 02:46 PM

A whole “extra” two weeks off?

they should get that and more.

Mosbonian · 03-26-2025, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by |Zach|

I don't agree with the idea that an iphone is a luxury. If you want to be competitive in today's job market you need a smartphone. Not for everything...but to not be tapped in like that would be extremely limiting.

Having a smartphone is necessary i agree...

Having the latest version of IPhone or Galaxy isn't necessary to function in today's workplace.

03-26-2025, 05:51 AM
HemiEd Supporter Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ozarks Casino cash: $-239436	Americans are working less I have my own theories on this, such as the stay at home working during covid and the stimulus money being the worst thing that has happened in a very long time. Why Americans Are Working Less Gallup finds that average hours worked have dropped progressively since 2019 when U.S. employees reported working an average of 44.1 hours. In 2024, they work 42.9 hours per week. The decline in hours worked is more pronounced among younger (those younger than 35) than older workers (those aged 35 and older). Between 2019 and 2024, older employees have seen an average reduction of just under one hour per person per week, while younger employees have reduced their hours by nearly two hours. Over a year, that’s the equivalent of older employees taking an extra week off of work and younger employees taking two weeks. These trends apply to full-time employees working at least 30 hours per week. Possible Reasons for the Drop in Average Hours Worked per Week Several new findings may explain this shift: Overall employee wellbeing has been on the decline. Employees now have less trust in institutions in general and feel more detached from their employers. After a decade of steady improvement, employee engagement has reverted to its 2014 level. Advances in technology may be making work more efficient. Gallup finds that nearly half (45%) of employees say AI has helped them improve their productivity. However, a workforce that is becoming more technically efficient and less engaged may lack the motivation needed for long-term growth. Employees -- especially younger ones -- now place a higher priority on their overall wellbeing. In fact, work-life balance and better overall wellbeing now rank among the most important considerations when choosing a new job. Additionally, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows declines in overall hours worked per person, particularly in industries that traditionally employ more young workers such as retail, leisure and hospitality. The Connection Between Hours Worked and Employee Burnout Burnout may be a major reason why employees are working fewer hours. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified “burnout” as a work-related syndrome resulting from chronic stress. Previous Gallup research has found that an unmanageable workload is one of the contributing factors to burnout. This may help explain why employees report higher burnout (very often or always) as the number of hours they work rises above 45 hours per week. more here https://www.gallup.com/workplace/658...78644b3aaad4a0
Posts: 34,791

03-26-2025, 01:42 PM	#92
Pepe Silvia In Search of a Life Join Date: Oct 2012 Casino cash: $-1685336	It would be nice to get paid to perform like Russell Wilson.
Posts: 20,939

03-26-2025, 01:58 PM	#95
scho63 Politically Incorrect Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Scottsdale, AZ Casino cash: $-670000	The only time I worked 40 hrs a week is when I had a part time job. Can remember last time did less than 50 hours in a week. __________________ *"The only difference between sex for free and sex for money is that sex for free costs you a WHOLE LOT more!"* ~Redd Foxx~ ~~2018 2019 2020 20212022 2023~~ 2024 Adopt a Chief - Clark Hunt and Brett Veach "The men who drafted Patrick Mahomes"
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03-26-2025, 02:46 PM	#104
WilliamTheIrish Champion Golfer Of The Year Join Date: Aug 2001 Casino cash: $2670607	A whole “extra” two weeks off? they should get that and more.
Posts: 35,754