Oliver Wyman Forum, the think tank of Oliver Wyman, a global management consulting firm and a business of Marsh (NYSE:MRSH), today released a comprehensive study of consumer and workplace sentiment with insights from their five-year, global 300,000 Voices project. The report, 300,000 Voices...And What They Tell Us About The Next Era Of Global Change, shows that geoeconomic and technological disruptions are increasing emotional strain and fundamentally reshaping how people invest, shop, work, use technology, and engage with the healthcare system.

"Our data reveals a pattern of 'more striving, less thriving. We are seeing a treadmill effect where higher individual effort is yielding diminishing emotional returns. For businesses and leaders, this signals a need to adjust strategies to align with a workforce and consumer base that is becoming more demanding, more independent, and increasingly reliant on AI," said Ana Kreacic, COO of the Oliver Wyman Forum, and author of the report.

Key findings from the report include:

Financial independence has become a defining goal and source of anxiety: Financial independence has emerged as the fastest-growing unmet need among respondents, rising to 41% from 32% in 2022. This shift is accompanied by heightening anxiety; the pressure to make money to feel successful has nearly doubled (+80%) over the same period. Consequently, interest in the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement has jumped from 24% to 37%, and financial literacy is now cited as the top skill individuals wish they had learned earlier in life.

Wellness efforts are intensifying, even as people feel less well: The share of people who practice at least four wellness activities has risen from 22% to 30% since 2021, while the group that previously reported inactive lifestyles shrunk from 15% to 4%. Yet the self-reported sentiment surrounding mental health has slipped 7 points, sitting just below peak-COVID levels.

AI is becoming the second opinion people turn to first for health: People are growing comfortable relying on AI for personal health inquiries. Over half of respondents have turned to AI for everyday health questions (55%), specific conditions (47%), and urgent health needs (37%).

Fulfillment has become a central workplace expectation — and a leadership challenge: The need for fulfillment in the workplace is reported as the second most important job quality, up six spots in the ranking from 2023 trailing only behind compensation. However, dissatisfaction with leadership is mounting. Fifty-one percent of respondents view current leadership models as outdated, and complaints regarding "subpar leadership" have increased nearly 60% since 2023.

This is the last generation to work only with humans: Two-thirds of employees (67%) now interact with AI in conversational, "human-like" ways, and 28% would prefer an AI manager over a human one. However, the integration of software agents and autonomous robots is creating uncertainty regarding role clarity and performance standards for many workers.

Rising consumer expectations are making loyalty increasingly fragile: Consumer patience has decreased significantly. While 33% of respondents say brands are meeting their needs better than in 2022, the baseline for satisfaction has risen. Sixty-four percent of consumers indicate they will abandon a brand after a single poor experience, a figure that rises to 69% among high-income shoppers.

About the report

300,000 Voices is an Oliver Wyman Forum report analyzing five-year changes in attitudes, values, and trust among consumers and professionals worldwide. The research explores how economic uncertainty, leadership behavior, mental wellness, and artificial intelligence are reshaping decision-making across markets and institutions.

About the Oliver Wyman Forum

The Oliver Wyman Forum is committed to bringing together leaders in business, public policy, social enterprises, and academia to help solve the world's toughest problems. The Oliver Wyman Forum strives to discover and develop innovative solutions by conducting research, convening leading thinkers, analyzing options, and inspiring action on three fronts: Reframing Industry, Business in Society, and Global Economic and Political Change.

About Oliver Wyman

Oliver Wyman is a business of Marsh (NYSE:MRSH), a global leader in risk, reinsurance and capital, people and investments, and management consulting, advising clients in 130 countries. With annual revenue of over $24 billion and more than 90,000 colleagues, Marsh helps build the confidence to thrive through the power of perspective. For more information, visit oliverwyman.com, or follow us on LinkedIn and X.

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Danielle Arceneaux

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Danielle.Arceneaux@oliverwyman.com