How 1,000 Americans Feel After the U.S. Election Results

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Discussing politics at work is often seen as a sensitive topic. However, with the 2024 U.S. election dominating headlines and conversations this year, its impact is hard to ignore.

To understand how employees feel about the new administration, we surveyed 1,000 working-age Americans about the job market under Trump.

Key takeaways from the U.S. Election Career Impact Survey

Two-thirds of Americans (65%) are optimistic about the Trump administration’s impact on their careers
Gen Z (69%) workers are the most optimistic generation about the future under Trump
Millennials are the most strongly optimistic generation, with 34% feeling very optimistic about the future
Men (68%) are more optimistic about Republican leadership’s impact on their careers compared to women (61%)
72% of Southerners feel confident about the country’s direction post-election
51% of workers believe the new administration will improve tax incentives
1 in 10 workers (12%) are considering leaving the U.S. following the election results
38% of Gen Z workers have been asked about their political views by managers
1 in 4 workers (25%) say having political conversations helped them bond with colleagues

Americans are optimistic about the future under Trump

Overall, 2 in 3 Americans (65%) are optimistic about how the Trump administration will influence their career and job prospects, while 35% have doubts about the future.

When asked about their outlook on how the Trump administration might impact their careers, here’s what U.S. workers think:

31% are very optimistic
34% are optimistic
22% are pessimistic
13% are very pessimistic

Below, our team developed a heat map highlighting the most optimistic U.S. divisions. Green shows the most optimistic divisions, while grey indicates they remain optimistic but to a lesser degree:

69% of Gen Zers feel good about their post-election career prospects

Younger generations feel the most positive about the current political climate’s effect on their career. Gen Z (69%) is the most optimistic generation, while Millennials (67%) aren’t far behind.

Millennials also stand out as the most strongly optimistic, with one in three (34%) saying they feel very optimistic about the future. Meanwhile, Gen X (63%) and Baby Boomers (60%) show slightly lower levels of confidence.

Let’s see how the generations stack up:

Gen Z

28% say they’re very optimistic, and 41% are optimistic
24% say they’re pessimistic, and 7% are very pessimistic

Millennials

34% say they’re very optimistic, and 32% are optimistic
22% say they’re pessimistic, and 12% are very pessimistic

Gen X

28% say they’re very optimistic, and 35% are optimistic
21% say they’re pessimistic, and 16% are very pessimistic

Baby Boomers

27% say they’re very optimistic, and 32% are optimistic
26% say they’re pessimistic, and 15% are very pessimistic

68% of men give Republican leadership a thumbs up

Men and women view the Republican administration’s potential impact on their careers differently. Overall, men (67%) are more confident than women (61%) that Trump’s leadership will positively influence their professional futures.

The biggest divide appears at the extremes — men are more likely to feel strongly optimistic, while women report more intense pessimism:

Men

1 in 3 men (33%) say they’re very optimistic (20% more likely compared to women), and 34% are optimistic
22% are pessimistic, and 11% say they’re very pessimistic

Women

28% say they’re very optimistic, and 33% are optimistic
23% are pessimistic, and 16% say they’re very pessimistic (being 45% more likely than men to feel this way about the post-election results)

Post-election confidence is highest in the South

Unsurprisingly, people’s feelings about Trump’s presidency vary across the U.S. But one thing is clear: Southerners are overwhelmingly the most optimistic, with 72% expressing confidence in what lies ahead.

Midwesterners come next at 65%, followed by Northeasterners at 60%. And while the West trails slightly at 58%, a majority there still feel positive about the country’s direction after the election. Here’s the breakdown by region:

South

40% say they’re very optimistic (the highest of all regions), and 32% are optimistic
18% are pessimistic, and 10% say they’re very pessimistic

Midwest

27% say they’re very optimistic, and 38% are optimistic
21% are pessimistic, and 14% say they’re very pessimistic

West

24% say they’re very optimistic, and 34% are optimistic
28% are pessimistic, and 14% say they’re very pessimistic

Northeast

27% say they’re very optimistic, and 33% are optimistic
23% are pessimistic, and 17% say they’re very pessimistic

1 in 10 workers are considering leaving the U.S.

For many workers, the 2024 election results are prompting them to rethink their future plans.

When asked how the post-election results have affected decisions about their future, U.S. workers revealed how likely they are to make certain changes. Here’s what they shared:

12% are considering moving out of the country
20% plan to explore job opportunities in a different state
35% aim to pursue further education or training
23% are likely to switch industries or careers
36% intend to seek remote or flexible work options

4 in 10 Americans blame politics for causing workplace unrest

Political discussions are spilling into workplaces, and Americans are feeling the impact:

12% admit to faking political opinions to maintain their professional image
14% have been asked about their political views by a supervisor or manager
36% have felt uncomfortable during political conversations with colleagues
1 in 4 workers (25%) say political talks have helped them form closer connections with coworkers
2 in 3 workers (66%) have overheard coworkers discussing political topics
36% have felt uncomfortable during political conversations with colleagues
35% have witnessed workplace tensions rise because of political discussions
13% report being treated unfairly because of their political views

Managers are questioning Gen Z workers on their political views

Gen Z workers are navigating a more politicized workplace where they’re engaging actively in discussions — but also showing greater sensitivity than other generations.

Our survey found that 38% of Gen Z have been asked about their political views by a manager — more than double the rate for Millennials (17%) and around four times that of Gen X (10%) and Boomers (7%).

This heightened involvement comes with consequences:

46% of Gen Z report rising workplace tensions caused by political discussions, higher than 38% of Millennials and 32% of Gen X and Boomers
45% of Gen Z feel uncomfortable during political conversations at work, compared to 35% of Millennials, 37% of Gen X, and 31% of Boomers

Despite the challenges, political discussions do create opportunities for connection. And for Gen Z workers, sometimes these opportunities create pressure. Here’s what we discovered:

18% of Gen Z admit to faking political opinions to maintain professionalism, more than 11% of Millennials, 12% of Gen X, and 9% of Boomers
35% of Gen Z have formed closer bonds with coworkers through political discussions, compared to 26% of Millennials, 24% of Gen X, and 21% of Baby Boomers

Nearly 4 in 10 women say political talk at work makes them uncomfortable

Workplace politics affect men and women differently, with American women reporting more discomfort during political conversations at work and men facing greater pressure to conform or disclose their views. Here’s what the data shows:

34% of men report feeling uncomfortable during political conversations with colleagues, compared to 37% of women
16% of men have been asked about their political views by a supervisor or manager, compared to 12% of women (making men 26% more likely to face such questioning)
13% of men admit to faking political opinions to maintain professionalism, compared to 10% of women

39% of Southerners report rising workplace tensions over political discussions

In the South, workplace politics take on a unique dynamic. Nearly 1 in 5 managers (19%) in this region ask employees about their political views — more than double the rate in the Northeast (7%) and higher than in the West (15%) and Midwest (12%).

But these conversations don’t always lead to harmony. Here’s what we found:

39% of Southerners report that workplace tensions have happened because of political discussions, compared to 34% in the West, 33% in the Midwest, and 32% in the Northeast
23% of Southerners say political conversations have brought them closer to coworkers, trailing behind the Midwest (30%), West (25%), and Northeast (24%)
14% of workers in the South and West say they feel pressured to fake their political opinions at work to maintain professionalism, compared to 9% in the Northeast and 8% in the Midwest

Improving tax incentives is the biggest hope

When asked how the U.S. election might shape the job market, Americans are mostly optimistic about tax incentives.

More than half (51%) believe tax incentives will improve, while 30% disagree.

Job security came in second, with 46% of U.S. workers saying they expect job security to improve, while 29% believe it could take a hit.

Career advancement followed closely behind, with 39% of Americans anticipating more opportunities and 23% predicting fewer of them.

Workers also shared their views on these critical areas of the job market:

Retirement plans: 42% expect improvement, while 33% expect a negative impact
Unemployment: 40% expect it to decrease, while 33% expect it to increase

Here are the areas of the job market where workers held more mixed opinions:

Minimum wage: 35% expect it to be raised, while 30% expect things to stay the same
Workplace flexibility: 30% expect progress, while 25% expect less flexible work arrangements
Health insurance: 36% expect improvement, while 35% expect a negative impact
Paid leave: 29% expect better policies, while 28% expect setbacks
Workers’ protection: 34% expect improvement, and 34% expect a decline

Workers generally showed less confidence in these areas:

Mental health support: 26% expect progress, while 31% expect it to worsen
Diversity and inclusion policies: 27% expect improvement, while 33% predict challenges ahead

Workers expect tax cuts to be a top priority

Our findings show that U.S. workers are clear on what they want the next administration to tackle. At the top of their list is reducing taxes for working people, followed by making health insurance more affordable and raising wages.

Here’s what Americans believe should take priority (from highest to lowest):

Cutting taxes for working people
Making health insurance more affordable and accessible
Raising the minimum wage and overtime pay
Strengthening retirement and pension plans
Reducing unemployment and creating more job opportunities
Supporting mental health initiatives in the workplace
Expanding workplace flexibility (e.g., remote work, flexible hours)
Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace
Preparing for the impacts of job automation and AI

Conclusion

Overall, Americans seem optimistic about the future, with many confident in the new administration’s ability to address key job market concerns.

With U.S. workers looking forward to an eventful and dynamic period ahead, here’s hoping their expectations align with the changes to come.

Methodology

This report was based on a survey launched on November 15, 2024, and targeted a sample of 1,000 participants. To qualify, respondents had to be currently employed full-time. The survey ensured a balanced representation across various demographics, including gender and age groups, to accurately reflect the diversity of full-time U.S. workers.

The data was analyzed using Python Pandas from the raw data provided by Pollfish and visualized in Google Sheets.

To minimize bias, Pollfish uses Random Device Engagement (RDE) to ensure a fair and organic selection process. For further details on Pollfish’s methodology, please visit their website or contact eduardo@resumegenius.com.

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Eva Chan is a Career Expert and Senior Digital PR Writer at Resume Genius. Eva oversees research and data-led campaigns that reveal key trends in today’s workforce and represents the company in media interviews and press features. Her work focuses on guiding job seekers through today’s job market and helping them present their applications and skills with confidence.

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