What is the Worker Confidence Index?

The Worker Confidence Index (WCI) measures employee attitudes, confidence levels, and overall security in their jobs. Unlike other indices, the WCI addresses the employee perspective through extensive online interviews among workers in the US that are 18 and older.

The WCI tracks job security, compensation expectations via the Likelihood of a Raise index, career mobility via the Likelihood of a Promotion index, and trust in company leadership. By tracking these performance indicators, the WCI can show the quality of contribution workers will make.

Q1 2026: What is impacting the labor market?

• Unemployment edged up to 4.4% as nearly 170,000 jobs were added in March. However, layoffs rates are steady and downward job revisions have been common.
• The Federal Reserve is opting to keep rates steady, for now. Economists expect one rate cut this year. Additionally, the US stock market had its worst annual start since 2022. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 both fell.
• The US Consumer Confidence Index® is still remarkably low, mirroring falling levels of consumer spending. As prices continue to rise, consumer spending is predicted to fall to 2.7% this year.

Overview of the Worker Confidence Index:

Overall, the WCI increased slightly, by 0.2 points. Year-over-year, the index is up by 0.5 points.

• Fear of job loss: Job security was mostly unchanged from last quarter. Year-over-year, fear of job loss is up by 1.2 points. Lower levels of job security among women, workers aged 18 to 24, and college graduates, were offset by heightened job security among men, workers with an incomplete college education, and Caucasians.
• Likelihood of a Promotion: Workers are less confident in receiving a promotion overall, though this is common in the first quarter as employees tend to receive promotions in Q4. This drop in confidence is propelled by the three eldest age groups, Hispanics, workers with a high school diploma or less, and remote workers.
• Likelihood of a Raise of at least 3%: Over half of workers anticipate receiving a raise, slightly up from last quarter. This uptick in confidence was driven by men, workers aged 65 and up, workers with any college education, and across all job location segments.
• Trust in Company Leadership: After a historic rise throughout 2025, trust in company leadership declined, though the index is still up year-over-year. Women, high earners, Caucasians, and on-site workers are now significantly less trusting of their company leadership.

Read the full report, sponsored by LevelUP, to learn more about worker and economic trends impacting worker confidence.