Benchmarking real-time hourly workforce economic activity as America reopens to uncertain demand
byAs stay-at-home orders start expiring across the country, it will be important for all of us to monitor and understand the economic recovery, so we can learn how businesses are adapting to new norms and market conditions.
Launching the Hourly Workforce Index
To help with that, When I Work launched the Hourly Workforce Index (HWI). It’s an embeddable interactive map that brings to life a unique dataset. Showcasing insights into how hourly workplaces are faring across geographies, with day-by-day, week-by-week real-time benchmarking. The realtime economic trends are based on actual workplace operational datasets merged with public economic datasets.
The HWI shows gains or drops in hours worked at workplaces. It captures comprehensive real-time employment activity data. Delivering deep insights into the impact of the current crisis, and a glimpse into what folks are doing operationally to reopen and move their businesses forward.
For example, in Minnesota we learn that workplaces have reduced their operations by 75% following the initial impact of COVID-19. They continue to be down 60% as they to adapt with a new approach to planning for uncertain demand.
What comes next
The HWI will expand to include benchmarks and insights from hourly workplaces across the U.S and Canada. The Index will remain accessible to everyone to track the impact of workplaces re-opening and operating in new ways.
The results in the map automatically update weekly and combines state and federal economic datasets along with our dataset. Our dataset contains contains hundreds of millions of hours worked and millions of hourly employees that use When I Work at their jobs.
Looking at operational changes in terms of the number of hours worked, provides additional clarity given that it is inclusive of the immediate impacts of both unemployment and underemployment being felt across the state.
Check back here as new insights and benchmarks get added.
