UKG Workforce Activity Report: As Omicron-Related Illnesses Subside, Activity Increases Across All Industries, Sectors, Geographies

March 1, 2022 , LOWELL, Mass., and WESTON, Fla.

National Overview:
UKG Workforce Activity Report for February 2022 shows the total number of shifts worked1 by people at U.S. businesses increased 6.6%, the largest monthly increase in shift work since the spring of 2020. This growth represents a strong snapback from January’s omicron-driven 5.1% decline, which was the largest decline in workforce activity of the pandemic, excluding April 2020’s initial shutdowns. February ended with continued acceleration, and growth from December to February (1.4%) matches the growth pattern enjoyed during the same period last year.

Commentary:
Dave Gilbertson, vice president, UKG
“Much of February’s growth can be attributed to a strong snapback from the weak mid-January period created by the omicron surge. Still, looking at the longer-term trend, it’s very clear that people are increasingly coming off the sidelines to rejoin the workforce. The UKG data shows acceleration through the end of February, as well as for the December-February timeframe. This is great news for businesses, which have struggled to hire for far too long. It’s also great news for everyone in the workforce in general, as more help will ease the pressure, stress, and burnout created by short staffing that many people continue to navigate on a daily basis. It will be interesting to see if higher labor-participation rates stem the Great Resignation we are watching.”

Industry Analysis:
As the omicron surge subsides, all industries experienced strong growth, offsetting the steep losses experienced in January:

  • Public sector and non-profit: 11.3%
  • Services and distribution: 6.8%
  • Manufacturing: 6.5%
  • Retail, hospitality, and food service: 5.1%
  • Healthcare: 3.6%

Region Snapshot:
The strong snapback created growth in all regions:

  • Northeast2: 7.8%
  • Midwest3: 6.5%
  • West4: 6.5%
  • Southeast5: 6.0%

Business Size:
All business-size segments also enjoyed strong growth in January, though bigger businesses continue to outpace smaller businesses:

  • Fewer than 100 employees: 5.9%
  • 101-500: 5.9%
  • 501-1,000: 6.4%
  • 1,001-2,500: 7.9%
  • 2,501-5,000: 10.5%
  • More than 5,000: 6.2%

Timeliness:
The UKG Workforce Activity Report is a high-frequency index analyzing shift work trends for 3.9 million people at 35,000 U.S. businesses to understand job creation and economic momentum.

About UKG

At UKG, our purpose is people. Built from a merger that created one of the largest cloud companies in the world, UKG believes organizations succeed when they focus on their people. As a leading global provider of HCM, payroll, HR service delivery, and workforce management solutions, UKG delivers award-winning Pro, Dimensions, and Ready solutions to help tens of thousands of organizations across geographies and in every industry drive better business outcomes, improve HR effectiveness, streamline the payroll process, and help make work a better, more connected experience for everyone. UKG has 13,000 employees around the globe and is known for an inclusive workplace culture. The company has earned numerous awards for culture, products, and services, including consecutive years on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list. To learn more, visit ukg.com.

Footnote 1: “Shifts worked” is a total derived from aggregated employee time and attendance data and reflects the number of times that employees, especially those who are paid hourly or must be physically present at a workplace to perform their jobs, “clock in” and “clock out” via a timeclock, mobile app, computer, or other device at the beginning and end of each shift.

Footnote 2: Northeast is defined as Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Footnote 3: Midwest is defined as Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin.

Footnote 4: West is defined as Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

Footnote 5: Southeast is defined as Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

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