America This Week: The Workplace and Vaccine Exemptions, Childcare Woes, Boosters, Values, and AI

The latest trends in society from The Harris Poll.

In The Harris Poll Tracker fielded October 1st to 3rd, 2021 among 2,039 U.S. Adults, we take a special look at employers and many of the contemporary issues that impact its re-opening. These include stories on religious exemptions for vaccinations, the impact of childcare options for working parents, COVID booster shots, the importance of a company aligning with your values, and the state of AI.

Full survey results, tables, and weekly summaries?can be accessed for free?at?The Harris Poll COVID-19 Portal.

Have a great rest of the week!

-?John Gerzema [email protected]

1. Navigating Religious Exemptions

As employers across the country implement vaccine mandates, some Americans are seeking exemptions on religious grounds. So what do Americans think about those looking for religious exemptions to getting a COVID-19 vaccine? Here’s what we found:

• Are they legitimate?:?Nearly half (48%) say?religious exemptions are a legitimate reason to not be vaccinated; including three-fifths (59%) of religious Americans and even (43%) of already-vaccinated Americans.
• First Amendment wins: Two-thirds (65%) agree “A person's right to ask for religious exemption for the COVID vaccine is a personal choice, even if their religious leaders are in favor of vaccination” - including (72%) of Millennials.
• This extends to the workplace:?Nearly three-fifths (58%) of Americans agree “Employers should respect and accept an employee's religious exemption request without question.”
• Not everyone is in the flock: Even though Americans are supportive of exemptions, two-thirds (65%) say?most people asking for religious exemptions are just saying it?to get out of being vaccinated.
• And not all faiths are in agreement:?Last week,?The Vatican ordered all employees to be vaccinated and does not currently allow exemptions.?And the LDS Church?told public officials to not approve religious exemptions for its members.
• NBA takes a stand: Andrew Wiggins, the NBA star’s religious exemption request was denied by league officials, leading to Wiggins getting jabbed.?As he put it, his options were “to get vaccinated or not play in the NBA.”
• Vaccine mandates leave business complicit: In our polling, half (50%) of all Americans said of companies implement government required mandates, "It will be their fault if they enforce it; while (35%) said "it's not their fault, but they should at least try to do something and speak out against the mandate.

Takeaway: Politics now, religion moves into the workplace threatening company cultures and return to work: ?NPR looks at?how employers are navigating the difficult position of granting religious exemptions to an increasing number of workers asking for them. Employers have a difficult task of navigating legitimate concerns for religious reasons versus those who are simply looking for an excuse and will need to balance privacy and boundaries.

2. The Fractured Childcare System: Yahoo Finance-Harris Poll

In a recent survey with?Yahoo Finance, we surveyed working parents with children under the age of eighteen to see how current childcare options influence their current employment situation:

• Parents dependent on their employer: Nearly three-quarters (71%) of working parents with kids under 18 say managing childcare decisions?is overwhelming, while (76%) agree their kid's childcare needs are?very influential on their current employment situation, such as employment status, choice of employer, and hours or availability: (67%) of Moms and (79%) of Dads agree.
• Job mobility based on flexibility: Two-thirds (68%) of working parents said they would be more likely to accept an offer from an employer that?has flexible scheduling for childcare needs, with another (62%) saying they would be more likely to accept based on?the offer of a monthly child care stipend.?
• Everyone works at the office: Three in five (62%) of working parents said they would be more likely to accept an?offer?of employment based on?free onsite daycare.?Comparatively, only about half (53%) said they would be more likely to accept the offer?if onsite daycare was offered for a fee.?
• The LA Times?writes more about the woes of childcare in the U.S. after the September Treasury Department report was released.

Takeaway:?We've written extensively here of the disproportionate toll the pandemic has taken on parents––especially BIPOC parents, front-line workers, and those constrained by resources. The childcare crisis in the U.S. is disproportionately affecting?working moms, and companies should work on filling the widening gap of the lack of childcare services and perks offered to get workers back in the market.

3. Vaccinated Americans Are Ready for Their Boosters

In our latest wave of the COVID Tracker, we check back in with vaccinated Americans now that booster shots are recommended for certain at-risk cohorts. Here is what Americans are thinking:

• Likelihood to get a booster remains high: As noted in our?Axios?story, vaccinated Americans are on board with booster shots: (84%) say they are likely to get one once it becomes available to them (61% very likely, 23% somewhat likely).
• Brand switching? More than two-thirds (68%) of those likely to get a booster, say they would be very or somewhat comfortable?getting a booster shot that was made by a different manufacturer than their initial dose?if U.S. health officials said it was okay to mix brands.
• Younger Americans ok mixing vaccine manufacturers: (85%) of vaccinated Millennials and (75%) of vaccinated Gen Zers would be comfortable trying another vaccine manufacturer, compared to just (55%) of Boomers.
• Among vaccinated Americans who are not likely to get a booster shot (16%), four-in-ten (43%) say they?don’t think a booster is necessary for general, while (29%) say they feel like?they’ve already built up immunity from the initial vaccination.

Takeaway:?Many vaccinated Americans are?still concerned about breakthrough cases?and boosters will be a potent weapon in bolstering consumer confidence to return to social activities such as travel, large events, and dining out. Yet we were surprised to see the liberal attitudes in switching up jabs. Perhaps the underlying efficacy issues have people believing there is a better product out there.

4. Personal Values and the Workplace: Integral-Harris Poll

The Harris Poll partnered with Integral to survey employed Americans to better understand the perceptions about varied societal and political topics and how well organizations were making a difference on those values. The full?Integral Employee Activation Index?can be downloaded for further insight. Here are key insights:

• A positive daily mindset:?Two-fifths of employees whose organization reflects their values say they feel confident (43%) or grateful (41%) compared to just (11%) who say they are tired - or underappreciated (5%).?
• Driving positive actions: Four in five (83%) employees say they feel like the alignment of values with their employer makes them want to stay through challenging times, or go the extra mile (82%).
• Cultivating company culture:?Alignment of personal beliefs with one’s company also leads to positive feelings towards company culture with nearly half (47%) saying their colleagues felt supportive, (40%) safe, and (36%) purposeful.

Takeaway:?A deeper understanding of employees across a variety of factors will help organizations gauge employee values and sentiment which can be used to more accurately map business decisions and communications to drive employee actions, perceptions, and engagement.

5. AI: The Leader of Digital Transformation: Appen-Harris Poll

The Harris Poll partnered with?Appen?on a survey to provide insights for the seventh?edition of their annual?State of AI report?that explores the strategies employed by companies in successfully deploying AI. Here are some key takeaways:

• AI budgets have increased:?Budgets from $500k to $5M have increased by 55% year-over-year, with only a quarter (26%) reporting budgets under $500k, signaling broader market maturity.
• An overwhelming majority of organizations have?partnered with external training data providers to deploy and update AI projects at scale, including (90%) of small, (92%) of the medium, and (85%) of large enterprises.
• Companies report a?high commitment to data security and privacy?with (91%) of companies who use external data providers reporting good or excellent ratings for their companies when it comes to addressing privacy or security issues related to AI.
• Enterprises of all sizes confirmed?they accelerated their AI strategy as a result of COVID-19 in 2020?and (61%) of small, (70%) of the medium, and (69%) of large enterprises saying they will?continue to do so in 2021.
• Harvard Business Review?writes more on our study with Appen.

Takeaway:?The AI industry continues to grow rapidly year-over-year, to the point where organizations that haven’t yet invested in their own AI initiatives are at risk of being left behind. If you are worried about AI please read our report above.