Breaking Job News: Judge Halts Federal Layoffs, CEO Confidence Down, & Most Workers Don’t Have a “Good Job”

Headlines scream recession fears, but look closer and you’ll see something else: CEOs are slowing down, not shutting down. Confidence dropped again this quarter, yet plans to hire and invest are quietly ticking upward. In today's job news, we decode what that mixed message means for the 2026 job market, from capital spending and team growth to how companies are preparing for a year of cautious optimism.

We also unpack Gallup’s new job quality study, revealing that only 40% of Americans hold what’s considered a “quality job.” The rest are grappling with unpredictable schedules, pay concerns, and limited career mobility. Still, most workers say they feel respected at work. So where’s the disconnect, and what can employers do right now to fix it?

Plus, we dive into the AI revolution reshaping work. With 81% of CEOs predicting that AI will redefine most jobs in the next five years, but only 13% fearing job loss, what’s really driving their priorities? Pete Newsome breaks down how leaders can use AI responsibly while keeping morale and productivity high. And finally, we look at the court decision halting federal layoffs, an unprecedented move that could ripple through public and private sectors alike.

News Articles:

1. US CEO Confidence: https://www.conference-board.org/topics/CEO-Confidence/
2. The American Job Quality Study: https://www.gallup.com/analytics/691241/american-job-quality-study.aspx
3. Court blocks Trump administration’s latest mass layoffs for federal employees: https://federalnewsnetwork.com/government-shutdown/2025/10/court-blocks-trump-administrations-latest-mass-layoffs-for-federal-employees/

💬 What’s your take?  What’s the one thing you think would make your job a true “quality job”? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

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Episode Transcript

Pete Newsome (00:02):
In today's job market headlines, a new study
shows how American workers feelabout the quality of their jobs,
and a judge is trying toprevent the White House from
moving forward with layoffsduring the federal shutdown.
But first, CEO Confidence tookanother step backward this
quarter, which tells us a lotabout how corporate America
views the economic road ahead.

(00:23):
According to the conferenceboard's Q4 2025 confidence
index, sentiment among chiefexecutives fell to 48, down from
49 last quarter.
Anything below 50 signals morepessimism than optimism.
Only 24% of CEOs expecteconomic conditions to improve
over the next six months, while38% expect things to get worse.

(00:46):
That's far from ideal, but 22%still plan to increase capital
spending in Q4, and that's up15% over Q3.
Here's what's interesting aboutthe numbers.
Even with the dip, confidenceis still slightly above 2023
levels when recession fears werepeaking.
Roger W.
Ferguson, who was the vicechairman of the business

(01:07):
council, said despite slightlyweaker confidence, business
investment and hiring plansstrengthened marginally.
And at that point, thepercentage of CEOs who plan to
expand their teams rose to 32%,which is up from 27% in Q3.
So that's a trend in a graydirection when it comes to jobs.
The survey also touched on AI,where 81% of CEOs believe it

(01:31):
will fundamentally change mostjob roles in their organization
within five years.
I can't believe that's not 100%.
If you look at the wording,most job roles and within five
years, five years is an eternityin the world of AI.
And it's not even asking aboutall job roles.
So I don't know what that other19% is thinking that they don't
believe AI is going to havemuch of an impact on positions

(01:55):
within their organization.
I find that pretty curious.
And another interesting pointabout jobs specifically that
jumped out at me is the CEOswere asked to list their top
concerns when it comes toadopting AI.
Only 13% express concern overpotential job displacement and
employee morale.
And when I see that, I can'thelp but wonder if that means

(02:18):
they don't think jobdisplacement will happen since
most didn't express concernabout that, or if they just
don't care if it does.
Now, overall, this surveydoesn't offer a positive
sentiment, but it's definitelynot all gloom and doom either.
It looks like these CEOs arewhat I would consider preparing
more than panicking.
So it could be worse.

(02:38):
Let's hope we don't get there.
And the next headline, Gallupjust released their American job
quality study for 2025.
It's a report that measuredfive areas, or what they call
dimensions, that they say mattermost to determine the quality
of a job.

Here's what they are (02:52):
financial well-being, workplace culture
and safety, growth anddevelopment opportunities,
agency and voice, and workstructure and autonomy.
Here are some of the numbersthat jumped out at me.
The first couple are justawful.
Only 40% of US workers arecurrently in what they consider
to be a quality job.
That is just a sad state ofaffairs.

(03:14):
Six out of ten American workerscan't say that.
And 29% who took the survey saythat they're struggling
financially.
Now, on a slightly morepositive note, more than half
said that they're paid fairly.
So go ahead and reconcile that.
College degrees played a bigfactor in this, more than I
expected in terms of being at aquality job.

(03:34):
It's around 50% if you have abachelor's degree or higher,
while it's only 28% for thosewith a high school education or
less.
So for now, having a degree isstill going to be a big
determining factor in your jobsatisfaction and happiness.
And speaking of that, if youhave a quality job, you'll be
much happier in your personallife, both emotionally and

(03:56):
physically.
I mean, the survey showed thatto be very clear.
This was a big survey.
18,000 employees took it, and62% report that they are in an
unstable environment orunpredictable environment when
it comes to their work schedule.
I find that to be shockinglyhigh.
And I say that as the owner ofa staffing company.

(04:18):
I would never tolerate thatfrom the companies that we
support.
We absolutely insist on makingsure candidates know when
they're going to be working, howmany hours are available, what
their schedule is.
That is as fundamental indescribing a job and having
someone be secured at a job ascompensation and anything else

(04:39):
associated with the job.
Now, granted, we play in thewhite-collar space.
That's we we we feel corporatejobs, we don't really get
involved in blue collar.
So I have to assume that'swhere that's happening, but I
still think that is inexcusablefor employers to not do a better
job for those who work for themin terms of giving them

(05:00):
predictability in their schedulebecause that is just tied to
everything in terms of incomeand being able to plan for your
life.
So, really, employers, you haveto do a lot better in that
area.
It's just incumbent upon you todo so.
But the end on a positive note,and I was also surprised by
this, the 83% who took thesurvey feel they are treated

(05:22):
with respect where they work.
So, look, that's a reallypositive thing.
I mean, not everyone does, but83%, I mean, that's an
overwhelming number from a studythis big.
So I'll leave, I'll leave uswith that positivity.
It's a really interesting read.
You can download the fullreport from the website on
gallup.com.
And the final headline today afederal judge in California

(05:45):
temporarily blocked the Trumpadministration from carrying out
its latest round of layoffs,targeting roughly 4,000 federal
employees.
The judge called theadministration's actions both
illegal and in excess ofauthority.
A temporary restraining orderwas issued, which halted all
reduction enforced notices tiedto the government shutdown.
Now, for some context, this isa rare and pretty extraordinary

(06:08):
move.
Federal agencies neverhistorically lay off employees
during a shutdown because bylaw, shutdown is supposed to
pause operations, notpermanently eliminate jobs.
But the White House has beentesting those boundaries.
They said they were gonna do it,now they are doing it.
They're framing the layoffs aspart of a broader effort to
shrink the bureaucracy.

(06:29):
There's a lot of support behindthat, but the way they're doing
it is just very abnormal to saythe least.
It's unprecedented.
Now, the administration arguesthat Congress's failure to pass
a spending bill gives them thelegal authority to cut programs
and by association, the staff.
And so while this rulingtemporarily stops what they're

(06:51):
doing, there's no layoffs rightnow.
The administration, of course,is expected to appeal.
It seems that every decision byPresident Trump lately is
challenged and then ends updecided in court.
That's our new normal, I guess,at least for now.
I'd like to say this shutdownwill end before it goes all the
way to the Supreme Court, butconsidering how far apart the

(07:12):
sides are right now, and thereis no end in sight, they seem to
be making no progress to get toa deal.
That's probably where all ofthis is heading.
So we'll continue to monitorthat each day and hope something
happens soon.
And in closing, here's your funfact for the day.
Before he became a superstar,George Clooney sold insurance

(07:33):
door to door.
Now I was surprised to see that.
I think of George Clooney as ayoung actor.
I think he was on a soap opera.
My wife would know that.
I'd probably need to check withher, but I don't know when he
was selling insurance.
I mean, maybe he was a youngkid.
That doesn't make a whole lotof sense to me.
But that's the claim.
I'm going with it.
George Clooney knocked on yourdoor to sell insurance.

(07:53):
Well, that would be quite thesurprise, wouldn't it?
So thank you for listeningtoday.
I appreciate it.
Please like and subscribe,share with anyone who might be
interested.
And I'll look forward totalking to you tomorrow.