The most recent findings from an ongoing IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) survey of U.S. consumers show that Americans remain concerned about returning to the workplace in the face of the ongoing pandemic, and expect further outbreaks of COVID-19 in the fall. The July research revealed a slight contrast in consumer attitudes compared to June, when there were emerging signs of public optimism about the direction of the pandemic and the economy.
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IBM surveyed more than 7,000 Americans in July to understand how COVID-19 has affected their perspectives on issues including the economy, opportunities for remote work and the return to the workplace, and how they will visit businesses, use transportation, and more.
“The results from our ongoing survey underscore that consumer attitudes continue to shift as the effects of the virus fluctuate around the country, and consumers are preparing themselves for more permanent changes in behavior,” said Jesus Mantas, senior managing partner, IBM Services. “These new behaviors define the new preferences that business leaders need to be able to deliver to meet consumers where they are. This is no longer a question of competitive advantage, it’s a matter of business survival.”
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Noteworthy findings from the July survey include:
Most expect the pandemic and economic uncertainty to remain for some time
Even as parts of the country cautiously reopen, the percentage of Americans surveyed who are concerned about personal and public health continues to rise. In July, 72% report that COVID-19 has made them more concerned about the safety and health of themselves and their families (68% in June). The same percentage of respondents also said they worry about a second wave of COVID-19 later in 2020 (65% in June), and 66% expect to see more global pandemic-like events in the future (60% in June). Only 13% of consumers surveyed believe that the economy will bounce back to where it was prior to COVID-19, a 3 percentage point drop from the previous month.
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