(KERO) — United States workers are a lot less productive according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which said that in the first half of this year, productivity plunged by the sharpest rate on record.
For reference, when the Bureau says "productivity," it is looking at how much goods and services an employee can produce in an hour. At the start of the pandemic, productivity took off to levels not seen in decades. But now that many are returning to the office, productivity is dropping and economists say worker engagement is low.
Meanwhile, the number of available jobs in the US increased in September. The news surprised economists who expected the total to fall amid the Federal Reserve's aggressive action to combat inflation.
The government reports job openings totaled 10.7 million, up from 10.3 million in August. Economists had originally projected job openings would drop in September.
