oddities

Figuratively Speaking for May 01, 2020

Figuratively Speaking by by John MacIntyre
by John MacIntyre
Figuratively Speaking | May 1st, 2020

Percentage of Americans who have canceled their summer travel plans for this year, leading to more distress for the travel industry, according to a survey by ValuePenguin.com: 48

Percentage who also said they would wait a full year before traveling again: 17

Source: ValuePenguin.com.

Percentage of Americans who say they have enjoyed staying in pajamas and/or stretchy pants all day during the shut down, according to an Ipsos North America Omnibus survey: 33

Percentage who enjoyed just the sense of the world slowing down: 32

Percentage who enjoyed exercising/meditating/improving health: 19

Source: Ipsos Reid Omnibus Services.

Estimated number of Americans who are less than three months away from running out of money, according to a survey by Wallethub: 160 million

Estimated percentage of respondents who don't think people's unemployment income should be more than their previous income: 56

Percentage more likely that millennials are than baby boomers to think that stimulus checks should only be given to people experiencing income loss: 25

Source: WalletHub.

Although a majority of consumers believe a return to "normal" life is 17 weeks away, percentage who are predicting it's anywhere from five months to two years, according to findings from a Fleishman-Hillard consumer study conducted in the United States, China, Germany, Italy, South Korea and United Kingdom: 20

Percentage who report the pandemic has changed the products and services they once thought were important, a phenomenon even more widespread in China (86%) and Italy (73%): 68

Source: Fleishman-Hillard.

Percentage of Americans who don't have enough money saved to cover COVID-19 medical costs, according to a Healthinsurance.com survey: 52

Percentage who would think twice about seeking medical care right now because of cost: 46

Source: Healthinsurance.com.

Percentage of shoppers who said it's extremely or very likely that their grocery habits will return to normal once the pandemic is over, according to COVID-19 grocery shopper research from Acosta: 68

Percentage of shoppers who said it's extremely or very likely that they will eat at home more than they used to for a while: 56

Source: Acosta.

Percentage of Americans who perceive cycling as a safer mode of transportation vs. public transportation while social distancing, according to a Trek Bicycle survey: 85

If Americans must travel within five miles during COVID-19, percentage who included biking in their top three primary modes of transportation: 90

Percentage of Americans who are riding bikes to replace public transportation: 14

Source: Trek Bicycle Corp.

Approximate number of Americans who filed new claims for jobless benefits last week -- meaning the total number of new claims has topped 30 million over six weeks, according to research by MarketWatch: 3.8 million

Rank of new unemployment claims on the list of the most important indicators of the economic destruction caused by the coronavirus pandemic: 1

Source: MarketWatch.

Percentage of consumers who are interested in using gift cards and e-gifts for charity or kindness during this crisis, such as contributing to a gift card for a person or family in need, according to research by Blackhawk: 88

Source: Blackhawk Network.

Percentage of employees who feel they are less productive working from home than when they worked from the office, according to a study by VitalSmarts: 33

Ranks of not connecting with colleagues, available technology and too many distractions on the list of challenges that contribute to employees feeling less productive: 1, 2, 3

Source: VitalSmarts.

Idle Thought

"Nothing great in the world has been accomplished without passion." -- Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, philosopher

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

oddities

Figuratively Speaking for April 24, 2020

Figuratively Speaking by by John MacIntyre
by John MacIntyre
Figuratively Speaking | April 24th, 2020

Percentage of Americans who say they have reached out to a friend, neighbor or loved one to help during this pandemic crisis, according to an Ipsos' North America Omnibus survey: 70

When asked, percentage of respondents who say they can think of something positive they have personally enjoyed or experienced during the coronavirus outbreak: 93

Percentage who said more time at home: 51

Percentage who said cleaning/decluttering: 43

Source: Ipsos Reid Omnibus Services.

According to NameSnack's new business name-generation website, average percentage increase in traffic on their website on a typical day since Americans went into some sort of lockdown, suggesting that there has been a huge increase in interest from people considering starting their own business: 362

Source: NameSnack.

Percentage of Americans who report feeling anxious as a result of the pandemic, according to a study by Cohen Veterans Network: 64

Percentage who cite feeling lonely or isolated: 49

Percentage who are having trouble sleeping: 46

Source: Cohen Veterans Network.

Ranks of New Hampshire, Louisiana, Georgia, Kentucky and North Carolina on the list of states with the highest percentage increases in unemployment, according to research by WalletHub: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Rank of Oregon, Connecticut, Alaska, Wyoming and Wisconsin on the list of states with the smallest percentage increases in unemployment: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Source: WalletHub.

When asked how individuals would invest $5,000 in their future education or training, percentage who said they would spend those funds with an online college or university, according to a Strada Education Network survey: 26

Percentage who said apprenticeship or internship with a local employer: 18

Source: Strada Education Network.

Percentage of homeowners who asked their mortgage lender for a reprieve from their monthly payment because of the coronavirus outbreak who were granted one, according to a survey from LendingTree: 91

Estimated percentage of people who didn't ask for help with their credit card or mortgage payments who said they didn't realize they had that option: 20

Source: LendingTree.

Percentage of Americans who say they are washing their hands more frequently, more thoroughly or longer per CDC recommendations, according to the Bradley Corp.: 90

Percentage who are washing their hands six or more times a day -- compared to just 37% who washed up that often prior to the outbreak: 78

Source: Bradley Corp.

Percentage of American consumers who report they are cooking more, according to research from the marketing and PR firm Hunter, revealing the impact of COVID-19 on Americans' food habits: 54

Of the 75% of American adults who are cooking more, percentage who report that they are more confident in the kitchen: 50

Percentage who said they are learning more about cooking and starting to build more confidence: 26

Percentage who said they are enjoying it more: 35

Source: Hunter.

In light of the current pandemic, percentage of all Americans who have been jolted into realizing the need to take action now to protect the planet, according to research commissioned by ecoATM Gazelle: 17

Since the coronavirus pandemic began, percentage more people who now agree climate change is a real thing: 10

Percentage who believe we can all make a difference: 30

Source: ecoATM Gazelle.

Despite the economic fallout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, percentage of companies that have no immediate plans to make any pay adjustments for salaried staff, according to a survey from executive compensation consultancy Pearl Meyer: 48

Percentage that have no adjustment plans for hourly staff: 54

Percentage of companies that have taken staffing actions (such as furloughs or layoffs): 22

Percentage that are considering taking actions: 31

Source: Pearl Meyer and Partners.

Idle Thought

"I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day; I'd rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way." -- Edgar Guest, poet

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

oddities

Figuratively Speaking for April 17, 2020

Figuratively Speaking by by John MacIntyre
by John MacIntyre
Figuratively Speaking | April 17th, 2020

Percentage of Americans who say nurses and doctors should be regarded as heroes, according to a survey by More in Common: 84

Percentage who say the same for police, firefighters and emergency medical teams: 71

Source: More in Common.

Percentage of Americans who said their Easter spending was affected by the coronavirus this year, according to WalletHub: 68

Approximate percentage of Easter-celebrating Americans who said they skipped out on candy, new outfits and Easter foods this year, compared with prior years: 50

Source: WalletHub.

Percentage of Americans who say they don't wash their hands after using the restroom, according to a ValuePenguin.com survey: 40

Percentage who admit to regularly biting their nails: 18

Percentage who confessed to sleeping next to their phones, which are capable of containing millions of bacteria on their surfaces: 45

Source: ValuePenguin.com.

Percentage of Americans who say if they lost their job due to COVID-19, they would need additional education or training to obtain a comparable job, according to a Strada Education Network survey: 33

Percentage who report they have lost their job or have had their income reduced due to COVID-19: 46

Percentage who say that in times of economic uncertainty, getting more education is essential: 66

Source: Strada Education Network.

Percentage of Americans who currently work at home or have worked from home in the last year, according to research by Blackhawk Network: 71

Percentage who prefer their employers engage them via rewards and incentives -- citing prepaid credit cards and gift cards as the incentive they most want to receive: 84

Source: Blackhawk Network.

Percentage of charities that anticipate their 2020 revenue will be lower than expected, according to research from the Better Business Bureau's Give.org: 80

Percentage who are concerned about maintaining a financially stable organization in 2020: 89.4

Ranks of donors will likely be less able to give, charities will be less able to host fundraising events and donors will redirect support to individuals in need on the list of reasons for the anticipated decreased revenue: 1, 2, 3

Source: BBB Wise Giving Alliance.

Percentage of businesses that did not have a crisis communications plan in place prior to the pandemic, according to a poll released by 5W Public Relations: 67

Percentage of businesses that have seen a negative impact on their business due to COVID-19: 75

Percentage who agree this pandemic will forever change the way we do business: 84

Percentage who have offered free goods or services during the pandemic to help the community/country: 61

Source: 5W Public Relations.

Among U.S. adults who anticipate receiving a stimulus check, percentage who believe that the money would not be enough to sustain their financial well-being for one month, according to a poll by Bankrate.com: 31

Of those who anticipate receiving a stimulus check, percentage who think they would use the added money to help pay monthly bills (e.g. rent/mortgage, utilities): 50

Source: Bankrate.com.

Percentage of Americans who said they are currently self-quarantining, up from 11% on March 15, according to a survey by SurveyMonkey: 50

Percentage who are worried that they or someone in their family will be infected with the virus, up from 57% on March 15: 80

Percentage of Americans who know someone who has been infected with the virus personally: 21

Percentage who are worried about the impact of the coronavirus on the national economy, up from 81% on March 15: 92

Source: Survey Monkey.

Percentage of small businesses that have not yet applied for their CARES Act relief but plan to, according to an Alignable Pulse Poll: 19.3

Of those who have applied, percentage who stated that their bank wasn't ready to accept applications: 11.1

Percentage who have been approved and are awaiting money: 4.9

Percentage who are awaiting approval: 63.8

Percentage who have received their money: 0.8

Source: Alignable.

Idle Thought

"It is only when a man tames his own demons that he becomes the king of himself if not of the world." -- Joseph Campbell, "The Hero With a Thousand Faces"

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

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