BenefitHub Intelligence™ recently conducted a survey of more than 17,000 employees, and released the second edition of its Economic Well-Being of U.S. Employees including an outlook for 2026. The report examines the financial circumstances of U.S. employees and their families and exposes a growing financial strain that is reshaping their consumer behavior and disrupting normal spending patterns.

The data indicates that workers are increasingly operating in “financial defense mode,” cutting non-essential spending and prioritizing basic affordability as economic uncertainty intensifies.

Key findings include:

• 51% of respondents report pessimism about the U.S. economy.
• Nearly 82% say their financial situation has stayed the same or worsened over the past six months.
• 2 in 3 respondents worried multiple times about affording essentials like groceries and household items.
• 6 in 10 employees frequently turn to coupons or discount perks when making purchasing decisions.