This month’s chart looks at a trend not seen in decades – declining labor productivity and rising labor costs. Figure 1 shows labor productivity, which is measured as economic output per hour worked, declined -2.5% year-over-year during the second quarter. The -2.5% decline in labor productivity is the largest decline in the data series, which began in the first quarter of 1948. Hourly compensation rose +6.7% year-over-year as a tight labor market drove strong wage growth.
A look at the underlying data provides additional context on declining productivity. Total output rose +1.5% compared to the same quarter a year ago, while hours worked rose a bigger +4.1% year-over-year. The data indicates workers produced more goods and services less efficiently. Why is productivity declining? One potential explanation is pandemic-related themes, such as remote work and inflation, make the process of measuring productivity more difficult and distort the data.
Thematic changes may also explain the productivity decline. The labor market experienced significant turnover during the pandemic, and it takes time for workers to learn new jobs. As an example, Delta’s CEO pointed to labor turnover as a cause of the airline’s recent operational issues: “Since the start of 2021, we’ve hired 18,000 new employees, and our active head count is at 95% of 2019 levels, despite only restoring less than 85% of our capacity. The chief issue we’re working through is not hiring, but of training and experience bubble.” In addition, capacity constraints may also be weighing on productivity. The capacity utilization rate, which measures the amount of potential output that is actually being realized, was 80% during June 2022. The peak utilization rate over the past 20 years was ~81%, suggesting businesses may be running up against the limit of how much capacity they can use efficiently.
The combination of declining productivity and rising compensation costs is a notable trend, and it remains to be seen whether it is a short-term phenomenon or start of a longer-term trend. One trend we will be monitoring in coming quarters is whether decreased efficiency and rising labor costs negatively impact profit margins.

Important Notices & Disclaimer
The information and opinions expressed herein are solely those of PFG Private Wealth Management, LLC (PFG), are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended as recommendations to buy or sell a security, nor as an offer to buy or sell a security. Recipients of the information provided herein should consult with their financial advisor before purchasing or selling a security.
The information and opinions provided herein are provided as general market commentary only, and do not consider the specific investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any one client. The information in this report is not intended to be used as the primary basis of investment decisions, and because of individual client objectives, should not be construed as advice designed to meet the particular investment needs of any investor.
The comments may not be relied upon as recommendations, investment advice or an indication of trading intent. PFG is not soliciting any action based on this document. Investors should consult with their financial adviser before making any investment decisions. There is no guarantee that any future event discussed herein will come to pass. The data used in this publication may have been obtained from a variety of sources including U.S. Federal Reserve, FactSet, Bloomberg, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, iShares, Vanguard and State Street, which we believe to be reliable, but PFG cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of data used herein. Any use of graphs, text or other material from this report by the recipient must acknowledge MarketDesk Research as the source. Past performance does not guarantee or indicate future results. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal and fluctuation of value. PFG disclaims responsibility for updating information. In addition, PFG disclaims responsibility for third-party content, including information accessed through hyperlinks.
No mention of a particular security, index, derivative or other instrument in the report constitutes a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold that or any other security, nor does it constitute an opinion on the suitability of any security, index, or derivative. The report is strictly an information publication and has been prepared without regard to the particular investments and circumstances of the recipient.
READERS SHOULD VERIFY ALL CLAIMS AND COMPLETE THEIR OWN RESEARCH AND CONSULT A REGISTERED FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL BEFORE INVESTING IN ANY INVESTMENTS MENTIONED IN THE PUBLICATION. INVESTING IN SECURITIES AND DERIVATIVES IS SPECULATIVE AND CARRIES A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK, AND READERS MAY LOSE MONEY TRADING AND INVESTING IN SUCH INVESTMENTS.
PFG Private Wealth Management, LLC is a registered investment advisor.