Sunday, June 29, 2025

Americans Taking Cautious Approach to Investing During COVID-19

Tue, 13 April 2021  |  pandemic investing 

Although the economy is showing signs of rebounding from challenges brought on by the pandemic, many Americans are still worried about market volatility and prefer to take a cautious approach to investing. According to the 2021 Q1 Quarterly Market Perceptions Study from Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America nearly three-quarters (74%) of Americans believe markets will continue to be very volatile in 2021, up slightly from 72% in Q4 2020. As a result, nearly half (48%) of respondents said they want to stay neutral and not take action in the market – compared to 43% in Q4 2020 and... Read More

The Future Of Work In 2021

Mon, 12 April 2021  |  workplace employment 

New research from Qualtrics finds that workforce productivity is up, employees feel more connected to each other than before the pandemic, and future workplace trends are being driven by younger generations. For consumers, improved experiences like telehealth appointments, outdoor seating at restaurants, curbside pick-up, and virtual fitness classes, are not only preferred but will be the expectation in the new normal.

This study, which examined the experiences and feelings of more than 4,000 workers around the world, illustrates that work preferences are continually shifting an... Read More

Is Buy Now Pay Later Here To Stay?

Mon, 12 April 2021  |  payments credit 

Consumers have increasingly adopted Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services for multiple reasons; a desire for financial flexibility, a way to avoid incurring credit card debt, or to purchase items outside of their budgets. However, despite its popularity, consumer debt and missed payments have led to calls for additional research and regulation.

To take a closer look, The Strawhecker Group (TSG) conducted a survey of over 1,500 U.S. consumers in early 2021 with a goal of understanding domestic attitudes and perspectives on the use of BNPL services. TSG found that 39 percent of cons... Read More

Business Ownership Declines For Older Americans

Fri, 09 April 2021  |  entrepreneurship 

In a recent report, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, in collaboration with AARP, found a sharp decrease in active business ownership among the 80% of small firm owners who are 45 and older. The report found active business ownership for white owners 45 and older declined 8% for the yearlong period that ended in January 2021. The decline for Asian owners in the same age group was more than twice as steep, at 19%. The drop was 16% for Black owners and 11% for Latinos.

The report incorporates interviews with small business owners from the AARP’s Read More

Remote Work Puts Geographic Pay Policies In The Spotlight

Fri, 09 April 2021  |  workplace employment 

Geographic pay policies, a.k.a. localized compensation, are in flux. Of the 62% of organizations with existing geographic pay policies, 44% are considering modifying or have recently modified their policies due to the increase of full-time remote work, according to WorldatWork's Geographic Pay Policies Study. With 67% of employees expecting their compensation to reflect their location, geographic pay is a critical issue for employers 1) striving to improve the workforce experience and 2) recruiting/retaining top talent. Pay policy prevalence, geographic pay philosophies, determinan... Read More

Gen Z Least Likely To Return To Old Behaviors After Vaccination

Thu, 08 April 2021  |  retail travel 

According to the findings of a new global consumer study released by IBM's Institute for Business Value (IBV), respondents surveyed are mostly confident in the safety, effectiveness, and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines and indicate a desire to return to 'normalcy' after being vaccinated. But different rules, personal preferences, and social norms formed during the last year means that key industries like retail, travel and transportation may need to provide more seamless, personalized marketing and client experiences, to help remain competitive and successfully engage customers.Read More