oddities

Figuratively Speaking for November 03, 2017

Figuratively Speaking by by John MacIntyre
by John MacIntyre
Figuratively Speaking | November 3rd, 2017

Percentage of CFOs who cited too much bureaucracy as the biggest barrier to innovation, according to a survey by global staffing firm Robert Half: 30

Percentage who said that being bogged down by daily tasks and putting out fires were the biggest barriers to innovation: 27

Source: Robert Half Management Resources.

Percentage of parents who feel guilty about being so busy with work that they've missed their child's activities, sports games or teacher meetings, according to a study commissioned by Farm Rich: 33

Ranks of "losing my temper," "not playing enough with my children," "not being home enough" and "letting my children have too much screen time" on the list of reasons for guilt: 1, 2, 3, 4,

Source: Farm Rich.

Percentage of Americans who are making money on the side to supplement their regular income, according to a survey by Finder.com: 28

Number of Americans this represents: 69.8 million

Amount of pocket cash the average American with a side gig earns annually: $3,075

Total that goes undeclared at tax time each year: $214 billion

Source: Finder.com.

Percentage of adults across 23 countries who agree that religion does more harm than good in the world, according to a survey of adults under age 65 conducted by Ipsos Global Advisor: 49

In the United States, percentage who agree: 39

In Belgium, percentage who agree (the highest percentage): 68

In Japan, percentage who agree (the lowest percentage) who agree: 26

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs.

Between 2010 and 2016, percentage jump in the number of affluent consumers with a household income of $250,000 or more -- from over 7 million to slightly more than 14 million -- according to a Packaged Facts report: 91

Percentage of the adult population that is comprised of affluent consumers: 6

Of the total growth in adult population during the 2010 to 2016 period, percentage that is accounted for by affluent consumers: 44

Source: Packaged Facts.

Percentage of prospective millennial homebuyers who expect to change where -- and the way -- they live over time as their lifestyle evolves, according to Taylor Morrison's survey: 58

Percentage who expect to live in the home they buy for less than 10 years: 33

Source: Taylor Morrison.

Percentage of consumers who said they would spend between $1,000 and $2,000 more for a vehicle that had active safety features, such as blind-spot detection, pre-collision warning systems and lane keeping assist, according to a report from Edmunds: 40

Source: Edmunds.com.

Percentage of employees with disabilities who have "invisible disabilities," according to a study published by the Center for Talent Innovation: 62

Percentage of employees with disabilities (which now includes mental health and chronic conditions) who disclose them to their employers' human resources departments: 21

Source: CTI Center for Talent Innovation.

Percentage of all teens surveyed who perceive it to be legal to drive under the influence of marijuana in states where it's been legalized for recreational use, according to a study conducted by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Students Against Destructive Decisions: 33

Percentage of teens who say that driving under the influence of alcohol is dangerous, compared to just 68 percent saying the same of marijuana: 88

Source: Liberty Mutual Insurance.

Percentage of women aged 18 to 35 from across the country at all income levels who wish they had someone else's hair, or are only happy with their hair sometimes, according to the 2017 Cloud 10 Millennial Hair Care Report: 59

Source: Cloud 10 Hair Care.

Idle Thought

"Truth is not only violated by falsehood; it may be equally outraged by silence." -- Henri Frederic Amiel, philosopher and writer

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.)

oddities

Figuratively Speaking for October 27, 2017

Figuratively Speaking by by John MacIntyre
by John MacIntyre
Figuratively Speaking | October 27th, 2017

Percentage of Americans who say men have it easier these days, according to Pew Research: 35

Percentage who say things are easier for women: 9

Percentage who say there is no difference: 56

Source: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.

Average amount of time per week that professionals admit to being bored in the office, according to a survey from OfficeTeam: 10.5 hours

Number of eight-hour workdays this represents per year: 68.25

Estimated amount of time per week that senior managers estimate their staff is likely disinterested: 6

Source: OfficeTeam.

Percentage of Americans who say they have worked in a convenience store, according to a national survey conducted by the National Association of Convenience Stores: 19

Percentage of those who worked in a convenience store who agree the job experience helped them develop a foundation for their careers: 84

Source: National Association of Convenience Stores.

Percentage of Americans ages 18 to 36 who say they discuss how much money they make with their immediate family, according to a study from TheCashlorette.com: 63

Percentage who discuss the matter with a friend: 48

Percentage who talk to their co-workers about it: 30

Source: Bankrate.com.

Average amount per month that Americans with annual household incomes under $30,000 and a checking account pay in bank or credit union fees, according to a survey commissioned by Bankrate.com and Money: $31

Amount typically paid by other income brackets (these figures include routine service charges, ATM fees and overdraft fees): $9

Percentage of U.S. adults with household income under $30,000 per year who even have a checking account (compared with 83 percent of all others): 59

Percentage of account holders who overdraft 10 or more times per year: 9

Percentage of banks' total non-sufficient funds fees these account holders shoulder, according to a study by Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: 79

Source: Bankrate.com.

Percentage of Americans who admit to making a money mistake, according to a survey by Finder.com: 78

Number of Americans this represents: 192 million

Ranks of blowing too much on fun (vacations, dining out, shopping), dropping out of college and making a bad investment (such as property or stocks) on the list of the top money mistakes: 1, 2, 3

Source: finder.com.

Rank of car crashes on the list of killers of teens in the U.S., according to research by the National Safety Council: 1

Percentage of all teens who will be involved in a car crash before graduating from high school: 50

Source: National Safety Council.

Americans' average debt amount in 2017, according to a study by GOBankingRates: $140,113

Percentage of respondents who have mortgage debt -- the most common debt category: 65

Percentage who have medical debt -- the least common debt category: 21

Source: GoBankingRates.com.

Percentage of Americans who believe hot dogs are an essential part of tailgating at a sporting event, according to a survey commissioned by RaceTrac: 75

Percentage of Americans who believe hot dogs are an underrated tailgating food: 53

Ranks of mustard, ketchup, onions, relish, chili, cheese and sauerkraut on the list of condiments hot dog eaters like to pile on their dogs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Source: RaceTrac.

Percentage of Americans who believe it's important to wash their hands after using a public restroom, according to the 2017 Healthy Hand Washing Survey, conducted by the Bradley Corp.: 97

Percentage who always wash their hands after using a public restroom: 66

Percentage who say they usually do: 25

Source: Bradley Corp.

Idle Thought

"Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race." -- H.G. Wells, writer

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.)

oddities

Figuratively Speaking for October 20, 2017

Figuratively Speaking by by John MacIntyre
by John MacIntyre
Figuratively Speaking | October 20th, 2017

Percentage of CFOs who said employees should arrive on time so others can rely on them during set hours, according to research from Accountemps: 43

Percentage who said it's OK if they are occasionally late as long as it's not a pattern and people don't perceive them as slacking off: 47

Percentage who said that it doesn't matter as long as they get their work done on time: 10

Percentage of workers who said their productivity has suffered because a colleague arrived late: 43

Source: Accountemps.

Ranks of action/superhero, a "Batman" character, princess, animal and Spider-Man on the list of favored children's costumes this year, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation: 1, 2 (tie), 4, 5

Ranks of witch, a "Batman" character, animal, pirate and a Marvel superhero on the list of costumes most favored by adults: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Source: NRF.

Percentage of Americans who make impulsive purchases, either online or in-store, according to a survey by Finder.com: 96

When it comes to online, percentage of Americans who admit to spending impulsively: 87

Estimated annual impulse spending: $17.78 billion

Source: Finder.com

Percentage of women who prefer less home square footage and larger yards, according to a survey done on behalf of Taylor Morrison: 62

Percentage of men who have the same preference: 51

When asked what home shoppers would spend an extra $10,000 to $15,000 on in their new homes, rank of outdoor living items, beating out features such as upgraded cabinets and kitchen islands: 1

Source: Taylor Morrison.

Percentage of employed Americans who would still go to work even if they were feeling ill with flu-like symptoms, according to a survey on behalf of CVS Pharmacy: 65

Percentage of Americans who protect themselves from catching the flu by getting the flu vaccine: 52

Percentage of Americans who regularly use hand sanitizer to stop the spreading of germs: 41

Percentage who also report protecting themselves from the flu by drinking more water: 55

Source: CVS Pharmacy.

When considering which food items to add to the shopping cart, ranks of claims of being made with fruits and vegetables (62 percent), high in fiber (57 percent), natural flavors (55 percent), low sodium (52 percent) and low sugar/sugar-free (51 percent) that are most likely to sway parents to purchase a product, according to a Nielsen survey: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Source: Nielsen Insights.

Value of the global wellness industry, according to research by the Global Wellness Institute: $3.7 trillion

Value of the key sectors of beauty and anti-aging: $999 billion

Value of healthy eating, nutrition and weight loss: $648 billion

Value of wellness tourism: $563 billion

Source: Global Wellness Institute.

In industries dominated by women or older adults, percentage by which the rate of substance abuse is lower, according to analysis from the National Safety Council, NORC at the University of Chicago and Shatterproof: 66

Number of times higher than average that health care costs are for employees who misuse or abuse prescription drugs: 3

Annual cost to taxpayers of addictions, also known as substance use disorders: $440 billion

Source: National Safety Council.

Expected cost to consumers in extra interest charges in 2017 due to the Federal Reserve's flurry of recent rate hikes, according to WalletHub: $6 billion

Source: WalletHub.

Percentage of IT professionals who listed cybersecurity a top priority, according to an industry survey conducted at the New York Tech Summit: 49

Percentage of respondents who indicated they spend up to half of their organization's budget on security-related products and services: 26

Source: NY Tech Summit.

Idle Thought

"There is a fountain of youth: It is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of the people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will have truly defeated age." -- Sophia Loren, actor

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.)

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