Employee Confidence Inches up in December, as Layoff and Recession Worries Subside: Glassdoor

Employee confidence ended 2023 on a positive note, according to the Glassdoor Employee Confidence Index. Employees gained back some of their optimism, shaking off the recession and layoff fears that started off the year. 

Glassdoor’s report is based on the share of full- and part-time employees in the U.S. who gave their employers a positive six-month business outlook rating. From November to December 2023, the percentage who reported a positive outlook increased from 46.8% to 47.2%.

Meanwhile, Glassdoor reviews mentioning a recession have declined year-over-year, falling by 51.5%. And though mentions of layoffs have inched up 5.5% in that timeframe, they have been trending downward over the past three months and are below pre-pandemic levels.

By industry, employee confidence is currently highest in construction (60.0%), utilities (56.1%), and professional and business services (54.5%). However, the industries that have seen the greatest month-over-month jump (November to December) are leisure and hospitality (+1.6%) and retail trade (1.0%). 

Employees at the senior level are most optimistic about their company’s growth prospects — their confidence increased from 62.0% in November to 64.8% in December. Mid- and entry-level employees had a smaller boost in confidence over the month, coming in at 49.5% and 48.4%, respectively.