An increasing share of restaurant worker income comes from tips (Square Payroll Index, 2024): The restaurant industry is about 10% of the total U.S. workforce, and the majority of its 12.4M workers rely on tips for significant income. These tips are becoming a larger share of restaurant worker income, but they are also more volatile due to changing consumer behavior and economic downturns.
Tenure continues to decline since its high in 2012. Research shows that female workers, and younger workers overall, were more likely to be short-tenured employees.
Despite indications of Silicon Valley’s fall from grace as startup mecca, the reality is that the Bay Area has increased its share of tech startups in recent years.
Insights on worker sentiment, from the Glassdoor Employee Confidence Index (Daniel Zhao) – Sluggish hiring is likely dampening worker sentiment as laid-off workers and new hires find it difficult to get their foot in the door and even employed workers feel stuck in their jobs.
US labor productivity has soared in the last five years, far more than other countries. The U.S.’s comparative advantage in technology likely played a key role. Other factors include a more flexible labor market, stronger investment in innovation, and a robust government stimulus that helped fuel a faster post-pandemic recovery.
Turnover risk is lower when employees can choose where they work (Great Place To Work Institute) – In the words of luminary thinker Daniel Pink: “Companies instituted mandatory return-to-office measures to boost productivity and deepen employee commitment. Turns out those moves had the *opposite* effect.”
In July’s disappointing report, almost the entire month-to-month increase in unemployment came from “unemployment due to temporary layoff,” i.e. people who expect to be recalled to work. A sign of impending recession? Probably not.
Month-to-month increase in unemployment came from a surge in one category (BLS, NBER) – In July’s disappointing report, almost the entire month-to-month increase in unemployment came from “unemployment due to temporary layoff,” i.e. people who expect to be recalled to work. A sign of impending recession? Probably not.
Low-Wage Workers as Percent of the Workforce, by State (Visual Capitalist) – For the past 15 years, the federal minimum wage has remained unchanged, with its real value now at its lowest point in 67 years.
Hundreds of millions in new funding opportunities for skills training have been announced in recent days.