Unemployment Rate
4.1%
The unemployment rate changed little at 4.1% and total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 256,000 in December. Healthcare, government, and social assistance saw increases, as well as retail trade, following a decrease in November. The labor force participation rate is unchanged at 62.5%. Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 10 cents (0.3%) to $35.69, and the average work week was 34.3 hours.
According to the American Staffing Association, temporary help employment was 1.67% of total nonfarm employment in December.
Major Industry Employment
Notable Gains and Losses
- Healthcare and Social Assistance: +69,500
- Retail Trade: +43,400
- Leisure and Hospitality: +43,000
- Professional and Business Services: +28,000
- Financial Activities: +13,000
- Transportation and Warehousing: +9,600
- Construction: +8,000
- Manufacturing: -13,000
Read the full report at BLS.gov
Workforce and Economic News
ADP Research: Only 24% of Global Workers Are Confident They Have Skills for Career Advancement
ADP — January 13, 2025
Developing employees’ skills can lead to increased productivity and loyalty to the company. Only a quarter of global employees (24%) are confident they have the skills needed to advance in the next three years, and just 17% strongly agree their employers are investing in the skills they need for advancement. Comprehensive training programs offered by companies can create business opportunities. Read more at MediaCenter.ADP.com.
Respect at Work Returns to a Record Low
Gallup — January 13, 2025
Amid the Great Detachment, workplace respect has returned to record lows recorded in 2022 during the Great Resignation as 37% of U.S. employees feel respected at work. Onsite workers experience the lowest levels of respect. Respect correlates to engagement and collaboration, and Gallup found employees are five times more likely to strongly agree they are treated with respect when they are engaged at work. Read more at Gallup.com.
Gartner Identifies Top Nine Workplace Predictions for CHROs in 2025
Gartner — January 13, 2025
Workplace predictions from Gartner outline the priorities HR leaders will need to take on to ensure their organization remains competitive, able to attract and retain top talent, and can achieve desired results. Nine predictions are categorized into three key areas: new demands for a future-ready workforce, evolving role of leaders and managers, and emerging talent risks to organizational strategy. Read more at Gartner.com.
America Employed
Optimism Holds Strong: 84% of US Hiring Managers Eye 2025 Growth
ExpressPros.com — December 30, 2024
Eighty-four percent of U.S. hiring managers are positive about their company’s hiring outlook for the first half of 2025, with 52% feeling optimistic, 46% hopeful, 45% confident, and 38% satisfied. This is according to a recent Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey.
Most hiring managers (63%) anticipate increasing their workforce, with 19% planning significant increases and 44% expecting slight growth. Comparatively, in 2024, 63% of hiring managers also planned to increase their employee count, indicating consistent optimism over the past year. Read more at ExpressPros.com.
Too Much Truth? 54% of Hiring Managers Warn Against Excessive Honesty at Work
ExpressPros.com — December 11, 2024
While honesty is often touted as the best policy, it is possible to be too honest in the workplace. Many companies pride themselves on creating environments where employees feel safe to speak openly. However, the complexities and potential pitfalls of excessive honesty are becoming increasingly apparent. This is according to a recent Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey.
Most U.S. hiring managers believe their companies have successfully cultivated an environment promoting honest employee communication. An impressive 86% report that their organizations have created a safe and trusting atmosphere, while 80% affirm that the right systems and tools are in place to facilitate constructive criticism. In fact, an overwhelming 95% of respondents feel that employees can speak openly with anyone in the company about their concerns or issues, with managers/supervisors (68%) and peers/colleagues (57%) being the most common points of contact. Read more at ExpressPros.com.
