The number of US businesspeople whose hands are tied when it comes to addressing workplace issues, policy changes, and other actionable areas has increased by 14,000 percent since 2010.
“Today there are over 15 million hands tied in the American workplace,” says David McClennon, a researcher with the Pratmore Initiative. “Sometimes, there will be over 100 people at one company alone, each telling their underlings ‘my hands are tied’ an average of 17 times a day.”
Since the human body is not designed to tie its own hands, the situation has opened up a whole new career for thousands, paying well into six figures. It’s estimated that there are over 25,000 professional hand tiers working full time in the USA
“In three years I’ve earned more than I did in 20 as a taxidermist,” says Leona Plodkins of Kansas City, Missouri. “Some days I’ll go to ten different companies and tie seven or pairs of hands at each one of them.” Her record is 214 in one day.
Between 1949 – the first year records were kept – and 2010, there were only a few hundred hands tied cases a year. Since then, that’s increased by millions – including 5.4 million in 2023 alone.
“As the companies become more and more afraid of making any decision whatsoever,” says McClennon, “we’re quickly headed toward the day when every pair of hands will be tied.”
Plodkin is not concerned, she says, about what she’ll do if that happens
“As of last month,” she says. “I’ve also begun tying up loose ends.”
“In three years I’ve earned more than I did in 20 as a taxidermist,” says Leona Plodkins, a hand-tier based on Kansas City, Missouri. “Some days I’ll go to 15 different companies and tie seven or hands at each of them.” Her record is 214 in one day. “Once you get the hang of it you can do it really fast,” she says.
She’s not concerned, she says, about what she’ll do once every possible hand is tied.
“I’ve already started a sideline,” she says. “Tying up loose ends.”
