The U.S. economic, political and social operating environments are evolving, creating blind spots for leaders attempting to understand what Americans think and believe. Anxiety has become America's shared operating condition, shaping how people experience and make decisions around politics, the economy, their personal finances, their employers and society. Within that anxiety lies a clear signal for what companies and leaders can do right now to (re)build confidence and protect and enhance their reputations (a business-critical asset valued at up to $7T ).
Notably, at a time when they're in a position to help quell anxieties, U.S. business leaders are starting with a credibility gap most don't know exists. American skepticism of CEOs shapes how their organizations' words and actions are perceived – who they want to work for, buy from and invest in.
In late April 2026, Burson fielded a nationally representative study of 1,600+ U.S. adults to track how people in the U.S. are forming opinions about the economy, institutions and issues, and what that means for companies working to earn and keep their confidence.
This research shows where confidence is building, where it is eroding, and how companies can close the gap between what they assume and what people believe. It also offers a clear roadmap: know where you stand (as backed by data), listen to the right indicators to understand risks and opportunities, and operate with consistency and accountability.
Explore the data supporting the most important findings from our research:
America is anxious, and confidence is shifting
The anxiety in this country is palpable, and it is following people into every decision they make about the companies they work for, buy from, and invest in. We are experiencing a country under pressure, and that pressure is directly impacting companies’ reputations – and those of their leaders.
- 67% say the United States is on the wrong track
- 37% describe their outlook as anxious or resigned about what lies ahead
- 81% are extremely or very concerned about the cost of living and inflation
- 57% rate their personal financial situation as only fair, poor or very poor
- 61% say economic anxiety is making them save more and pay closer attention to what companies say and do
- 81% say dysfunction in Washington is making it harder for companies to plan, invest and operate with confidence
- 38% say they are pulling back or giving less at work because of economic anxiety
Confidence is shifting away from institutions
Americans haven't lost the capacity for confidence, but we’ve redirected it away from institutions and toward people and places that feel personal, accountable, and close. We are united in losing confidence in businesses, institutions and the individuals that lead them.
- Congress, traditional media, large corporations and CEOs all earn the confidence of less than one in four Americans
- Who are Americans confident in?
- 71% of Americans have confidence in friends and family
- 49% of Americans have confidence in small businesses
- What unites Americans?
- 67% say more unites Americans than divides them
- 63% agree that the news media makes the political divide look much worse than it actually is
Reputation can drain quietly
It's widely accepted that reputation takes years to build and can be lost in a moment. But half of Americans say reputation is just as likely to drain quietly, over time, and they can't tell you the moment they stopped trusting a company. By the time it shows up in a metric you're tracking, it's already been lost.
- 48% lost confidence in a company without being able to point to a specific moment
- 52% have experienced sudden confidence collapse from a single event that crossed a line
- 46% have boycotted a company because of a single event
- 25% have sold stock because of a single event
A crisis is an audition
Americans know exactly how they will judge a company when something goes wrong. And they already know most companies will fall short.
- 87% say how a company responds to a crisis reveals more about what it truly stands for than anything it says in ordinary times
- 80% believe most companies respond with spin rather than genuine honesty
- 84% say companies that are transparent about risks before a crisis are more credible
- 73% assume a company that goes silent during a crisis is hiding something
CEOs are often starting at a deficit
Most executives believe they're walking into a skeptical but open room. They're not. The data shows they're starting with a deficit most don't know exists, and the leaders who close it won't do it by being louder. They'll do it by being more consistent and rooting values in actions.
- Only 19% have confidence in CEOs
- 89% agree that powerful people get away with behaviors that would cost an everyday person their job or freedom
- 44% say a CEO's public behavior has a great deal, or quite a bit of impact, on their overall opinion of a company
- 76% lose respect for a CEO who retreats under pressure
Consistency is an asset, and volatility has a cost
In a high-anxiety, high-scrutiny environment, the leaders who earn durable credibility are not necessarily the boldest or the loudest. They are the ones whose stakeholders always know where they stand – and have confidence that it won't change under pressure.
- 6 in 10 Americans prefer a consistent, predictable company over one that adapts quickly when making major financial decisions, buying or selling stock, and when they are confident about the future
- 52% say they would rather continue doing business with a company they know well – even if it is not always perfect – than take a chance on a new one, even if it looks like a better deal
- 76% lose respect for a CEO who changes their public positions based on outside pressure
Values have to show up before the message lands
Americans are not asking for better content, more visibility, or a stronger executive presence online – though those can be impactful vehicles to communicate. They are asking for three things that cannot be faked, automated, or delegated: honesty when the news is bad, integrity when no one is watching, and genuine care for the people inside the building.
- 40% say they have confidence in a company because its values are visible and consistent in everything it does, not just what it says
- 40% want honesty and transparency even when the news is bad
- 36% want integrity, meaning leaders do what they say
- 35% want genuine care for the people who work for them
Protecting people builds credibility
Americans are not asking companies to have the loudest opinion in the room. They are asking them to know what they stand for, speak when it matters, and stay out of politics when it does not. The companies that earn the most confidence are the ones that put employees and communities first, lead with honesty and only speak up when the issue is genuinely theirs to own.
- 86% say companies have a responsibility to speak up when public policies would harm employees or communities
- 71% have more confidence in leaders who stay out of political debates
- 84% prefer a leader who is honest and direct, even when they disagree with them
- 52% would rather keep doing business with a company they know and trust than take a chance on a new one
The workforce is an early warning signal
High employer confidence is masking tensions in the workplace around AI, layoff uncertainty and executive loyalty to employees.
- 92% express confidence in their employer
- 91% feel positive about their workplace culture
- But only 30% strongly agree that their employer is being transparent about how AI may affect jobs and roles
- 57% say AI is already changing their job whether they are ready for it or not
- 78% say AI is growing faster than companies and governments can manage responsibly
- 70% say AI will ultimately cost more jobs than it creates
Workplace is the most underutilized lever of corporate reputation, and companies who best capitalize on workplace squeeze 11.8% more value out of the $7 trillion Reputation Economy.
Companies can fill the confidence gap Washington has left
People are weary of performative positioning. What they are looking for is character, stability and certainty.
- 80% say Washington dysfunction is making it harder for companies to plan, invest and operate with confidence
- 58% say Congress is more part of the problem than part of the solution
- 87% want honest, calm, consistent leadership they are not finding in Washington
- 77% say companies can serve as a stabilizing force when government feels unreliable
- 54% believe most companies and CEOs care about their employees and communities
- 71% want corporate leaders to stay out of political debates
- 86% say companies have a responsibility to speak up when public policies would harm their employees or communities
- 76% lose respect for a CEO who changes public positions under outside pressure
Navigating the Reputation Economy
The study underscores that building a resilient reputation requires proactive, data-backed strategies that establish credibility long before a crisis hits. To help clients navigate these complex dynamics, Burson supports the growing responsibilities facing today’s C-suite, providing best-in-class counsel, intelligence and communications strategy. Our expertise spans corporate communications, stakeholder and key opinion leader strategies, executive visibility and media training, crisis communications and issues management, employee communications, policy communications, community engagement and government relations.
If you'd like to learn more about our findings, view an infographic of key findings and contact the Burson team by clicking below.
Methodology: The study was conducted online between April 22–30, 2026, among 1,601 U.S. adults age 18 or older, including an oversample of employed Americans ages 21–55. The margin of error is ±2.4%. Burson will field part two of this study following the U.S. midterm elections to track how confidence shifts over time.