Labor and Industry Trends

More than meets the eye

Beyond the numbers

There are many cross currents influencing the current economic and labor landscapes. The still unresolved tariff uncertainty, regardless of one's view, has introduced an extraordinary degree of unpredictability for businesses, both in the U.S. and globally. Despite this macroeconomic uncertainty, our clients continue to move forward. They must maintain competitive customer interfaces, drive internal efficiencies and execute long-term strategic initiatives. Many of these projects are multi-year initiatives that proceed regardless of headline noise. Against this backdrop, demand for highly skilled technology professionals remains intact. A clear indicator of this is the continued competitiveness for top technologists. Given the extraordinary pace of AI adaptation, clients would be well served acquiring the AI talent they need around infrastructure, data-conversion and digitizing systems to be AI ready. Given the rapid pace of evolution in the AI space, by definition, there is a finite pool of experienced talent. We encourage clients to engage with Kforce professionals to help you navigate these uncertain times and plan for your next phase of growth. With our 60 years of experience, Kforce has successfully guided clients through many challenging operating environments and economic cycles.

by Michael Blackman

CURRENT LABOR INDICATORS

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As Chief Corporate Development Officer at Kforce, Michael Blackman, a 33 year Kforce veteran, is the primary focal point for the firm with the Wall Street and financial communities. He is regularly sought out by leading economists for his perspectives on the economy and labor markets, and he contributes to a number of key proprietary economic publications.

4.1

Total Unemployment

147,000

Total Job Gains

SPACE IN BETWEEN MODULES/ Macros/ Sections

SPACE IN BETWEEN HEADER AND SUBHEAD + Subhead & Body

Published July 10, 2025

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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July 2025

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Michael Blackman

CHIEF CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

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Labor and Industry Trends for May 2023

Brad Boyd

PRACTICE LEADER

Meet the Authors

As Chief Corporate Development Officer at Kforce, Michael Blackman, a 30-year Kforce veteran, is the primary focal point for the firm with the Wall Street and financial communities. He is regularly sought out by leading economists for his perspectives on the economy and labor markets, and he contributes to a number of key proprietary economic publications.

Michael Blackman

Total nonfarm payrolls increased by 147,000 in June, exceeding the six-month average monthly gain of 130,000 and aligning closely with the 12-month average of 146,000. The unemployment rate continues to remain stable, fluctuating within a narrow range of 4.0% to 4.2% since May 2024.

U.S. Unemployment Rate

JUNE 2023 through JUNE 2025

4.2%

4.0%

3.8%

3.6%

3.4%

3.2%

3.0%

Jun '23

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Jul '23

Aug '23

Sep '23

Oct '23

Nov '23

Dec '23

Jan '24

Feb '24

Mar '24

Apr '24

May '24

Jun '24

Jul '24

Aug '24

Sep '24

Oct '24

Nov '24

Dec '24

Jan '25

Feb '25

Mar '25

Apr '25

May '25

Jun '25

5.5%

4.5%

3.5%

2023

2022

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

U.S. Unemployment Rate

Jan 2021 Through DEC 2023

JAN '24