Daniel Altman, Instawork Chief Economist
Recent Posts
The shift really is working for baseball towns
Key takeaways
- Demand for flexible labor rose over the course of baseball's 2022 regular season.
- On average, shift volumes rose much more in markets where the teams would go on to make the playoffs.
- Despite the increase in demand, pay rates were largely stable in these markets, and perhaps not only because of expanding labor supply.
ECEC Release Briefing: Business Costs March 2023
Key takeaways
- For the majority of roles, business costs of flexible labor tended to be steady or declining between December 2022 and March 2023.
- Costs of compensation rose most in the Sacramento metro area, while several Midwestern markets had some of the smallest increases.
- Though a few hospitality roles saw large increases in cost in specific regions, overall costs rose more quickly in other kinds of roles.
The labor markets with the biggest Spring Break boosts
Key takeaways
- Even during last year's surge of spending on leisure and hospitality, the effect of Spring Break travel was noticeable.
- Shift volumes for in-person hourly work increased the most for venues in Orlando in the East and San Diego in the West.
- Increasing labor supply for flexible work and changes in roles being booked affected hourly pay as much as demand.
Hospitality businesses see a strong year ahead
Key takeaways
- Instawork's 2023 State of Hospitality Staffing report offers a positive outlook for the sector this year.
- Businesses surveyed for the report expect higher revenue and slightly improved conditions in the labor market.
- The use of flexible labor in the sector is poised to grow, with almost three quarters of businesses planning to deploy flexible workers.
Monthly Labor Market Report - February 2023
Every day, the Instawork platform handles thousands of transactions involving businesses and hourly professionals, generating a huge amount of data on hourly pay as well as other aspects of the labor market. This report summarizes some of the major trends in demographics, roles, and worker constraints in regions across the United States.
Hourly pay has risen the most in these hot spots
Key takeaways
- Changes in hourly pay for flexible work varied widely across American metro areas in the past year.
- Migration and consequent changes in labor supply may be the most important factor driving these changes.
- Minimum wage increases and reactions to inflation probably contributed to the differences as well.
In New Orleans, recovery from disaster feels different this time
Key takeaways
- The unemployment rate is low in New Orleans, but the economy has shrunk.
- With a smaller workforce, the labor market is especially tight, and employment in some industries is still far below pre-pandemic levels.
- Our new presence in New Orleans will help businesses to find the labor they need, as well as providing extra income for residents.
The most romantic metro areas, according to data on flexible work
Key takeaways
- Los Angeles had the biggest spike in demand for flexible work during the Valentine's Day period, making in the nation's most romantic metro area; New York was the least romantic.
- Demand for flexible work rose among restaurants and caterers but was especially high at venues.
- Hourly pay also rose at caterers and venues, with a peak around 20% above the monthly average.
Monthly Labor Market Report - January 2023
Every day, the Instawork platform handles thousands of transactions involving businesses and hourly professionals, generating a huge amount of data on hourly pay as well as other aspects of the labor market. This report summarizes some of the major trends in demographics, roles, and worker constraints in regions across the United States.
Some sectors may have already had a mini-recession
Key takeaways
- Higher interest rates and shifting spending pushed some sectors of the economy into recession territory last year.
- Employment via temporary help services, which usually falls before a recession, has also dipped.
- But flexible workers are actually working more hours per month, on average, suggesting a tighter connection with employers.
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