Online Community

ASA Central

A dynamic online community for ASA members to exchange ideas and best practices, and connect with industry peers in their sector. Visit the site ›
Find Goods & Services

ASA Marketplace

This powerful online resource enables staffing companies to find and access industry supplier information, products and services. Visit the site ›
Daily Publication

Staffing Today Newsletter

Your #1 daily source for news about the workforce industry. With versions available to members and nonmembers. Visit the site ›
Health Care Reform

Affordable Care Act Resources for Staffing

Up-to-date news, resources, interactive tools, and more—all focused on helping ASA members comply with the ACA. Visit the site ›
Advertisers & Exhibitors

Staffing Industry Suppliers

ASA has numerous and diverse marketing opportunities available to help you reach the rapidly growing staffing industry. Visit the site ›
Exclusive Products

ASA Store

From certification packages and study guides to marketing tools and data reports, ASA resources add value to your business. Visit the site ›

Yoh Index Finds Disconnect Between Recent Unemployment Statistics and Real-World Demand for Skilled Temporary Workers

Yoh News Release (03/05/12)

Recent reported employment gains should be great news for the American economy. But findings by the Yoh Index, which measures real-wage growth among skilled temporary workers, shows continued stagnation in salary rates among the most dynamic sector of the U.S. employment market. The Yoh Index barely budged for the fourth quarter of 2011, ending the year at 114.26, just a 1.15% increase over the same quarter for 2010.

Much of the disconnect between reports of employment gains and the real-world demand for skilled temporary workers has to do with the employment participation rate, which now stands at 63.7%, the lowest since the early 1980s. An artificially low employment participation rate decreases the unemployment rate by reducing the total number of people looking for work. A recent survey, commissioned by Yoh and conducted by Amplitude Research, found that systemic uncertainty over the economy and structural inefficiencies within the hiring process continue to suppress U.S. employment, and threaten to do so well into the future. In the survey of companies with revenues greater than $750 million and work forces over 1,500 employees, 61% of respondents reported that economic uncertainty represents the greatest obstacle to increased hiring this year.