Three-fifths of working Americans believe federal policy changes will have a direct impact on them during the next year, even more than the 40% who say the same about advancements in artificial intelligence, according to an April 2 report from Justworks and The Harris Poll.
The perception applies across industries, roles and company sizes, the report found. About 45% of workers also said they’re looking to their HR team to help them understand the impact of recent policy changes.
“This moment presents both a challenge and an opportunity for small businesses,” according to the report. “HR teams are being asked to do more than ever. But at the same time, the potential impact of confidently navigating change, communicating transparently with teams, and creating a compliant and resilient workplace experience has never been higher.”
In a survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults, 52% of workers said they feel too overwhelmed to keep up with recent policy changes, including new tariffs, tax code provisions, federal funding pauses and ongoing delays in Employee Retention Tax Credit funds. Many workers also don’t feel knowledgeable about recent policy changes, including 46% at small businesses (under 100 employees) and 38% at larger businesses.
Workers expressed concerns about certain job changes, such as benefits and perks being cut, getting laid off and feeling shifts in company culture. They’re slightly less worried about inflation and a recession than in early 2023, but they’re still saving money and starting side hustles to prepare for potential changes, Justworks said. Job-seeking behaviors — such as applying to jobs, researching salaries and updating resumes — remain consistent, the report found.
Many employees also remain stressed about global political turmoil, and more than half said they feel pressured to work through burnout or mental health struggles, according to a Modern Health report. Workers expressed interest in HR training and resources to help, specifically around mental health benefits, stress or burnout management and mental health crisis response resources.
