Here's When American Workers Say They Last Received a Raise

A new study released Thursday by OnePoll reveals some interesting facts about America’s workforce.

Released just in time for Labor Day, the report surveyed 1,859 U.S. employees from August 16–18, 2023. Out of the participants, 46 percent reported feeling “somewhat recognized” in their position, while 8 percent said they didn’t feel recognized at all. 73 percent feel that a gender pay gap is real, with 58 percent of men and 56 percent of women feeling their gender influenced their salary. Most astonishingly, the study showed that the average American has not received a raise for the last three years.

The study also shone a light on generational differences between employees. Gen Z is more worried about mounting worker strikes nationwide (69 percent) than a lack of job security (47 percent). 53 percent of millennials were more concerned about salary cuts than wage gaps (49 percent) or strikes (45 percent). Meanwhile, Gen Xers and boomers shared a similar anxiety about job security (45 percent and 49 percent, respectively) and wage gaps (44 percent and 46 percent).

When it came to making a positive change in the workplace, 51 percent believed speaking directly to management was the best way to pressure companies into improving working conditions and salaries. 49 percent found labor and union strikes to be effective, while 40 percent and 36 percent found change was best executed through HR complaints and social media, respectively.

As strikes continue to occupy the news, 41 percent of those surveyed reported previously participating in a labor strike. 47 percent had never participated. Of the people who did strike, 68 percent did so for better schedules; 58 percent struck for higher pay; 56 percent wanted better health insurance; and 48 percent sought better benefits. 43 percent of the poll participants said belonged to a union, while an equal number did not. 93 percent of union members reported that joining was one of the best things they’d ever done.

Numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, however, are radically different from the percentages in this study. In January, the BLS confirmed that in 2022 only 11.3 percent of workers were represented by a union. This actually represented a small dip in representation from 2021. And although many poll respondents said they haven't gotten a raise lately, the still-hot labor market and rising worker wages do indicate that many Americans are benefitting from current economic conditions.