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Productivity and Costs by Industry: Mining, Wholesale Trade, Retail Trade, and Food Services and Drinking Places News Release
For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Thursday, August 7, 2014 USDL-14-1430
Technical Information: (202) 691-5618 • dipsweb@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/lpc
Media Contact: (202) 691-5902 • PressOffice@bls.gov
PRODUCTIVITY AND COSTS BY INDUSTRY: MINING, WHOLESALE TRADE,
RETAIL TRADE, AND FOOD SERVICES AND DRINKING PLACES INDUSTRIES, 2013
Labor productivity - defined as output per hour - rose 8.5 percent in mining, 2.3 percent in wholesale
trade and 5.0 percent in retail trade, but fell 2.4 percent in food services and drinking places in 2013, the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Unit labor costs, which reflect the total labor costs
required to produce a unit of output, fell in mining, in wholesale trade and in retail trade, but rose in
food services and drinking places in 2013.
Productivity in mining and in retail trade rose faster in 2013 than in 2012. Output increased at the same
rate as in the previous year for mining and more rapidly for retail trade, while hours in both sectors fell
slightly after increasing in the previous year. In wholesale trade, output and hours grew more rapidly in
2013 than in 2012, but the increase in hours outpaced the increase in output and productivity rose more
slowly in 2013. The larger productivity decline in food services and drinking places in 2013 resulted
from a slowdown in output that exceeded that of hours.
The latest productivity measures for industries presented here and for those in other sectors are available
on the BLS Labor Productivity and Costs website at www.bls.gov/lpc/tables.htm.
************************************************************************************************************
* Industry Productivity Hours Series Changes *
* *
* Beginning with this news release, labor hours for trade and food services and drinking places industries *
* represent hours worked. See Technical Note in this news release for more information. *
************************************************************************************************************
Productivity increased in 39 of the 54 detailed 4-digit NAICS industries studied in 2013. Output grew in
43 industries and hours increased in 34. Unit labor costs fell in 39 industries in 2013.
In mining, labor productivity increased 8.5 percent, while output grew 8.4 percent and hours fell
slightly. Productivity increased in all four of the detailed mining industries for which data are available.
Output rose in three industries and hours declined in four. The largest productivity increase was in the
oil and gas extraction industry. Unit labor costs fell in three mining industries.
In wholesale trade, labor productivity rose 2.3 percent as output grew 4.2 percent and hours increased
1.9 percent. Productivity grew 2.8 percent in durable goods wholesalers and 1.9 percent in nondurable
goods wholesalers. Productivity increased in 12 of the 19 detailed wholesale trade industries, while
output rose in 16 industries and hours grew in 14. Productivity increased most rapidly in farm product
raw materials wholesalers, electric goods wholesalers, and machinery and supplies wholesalers, as
output rose substantially in each. Unit labor costs declined in 16 wholesale trade industries.
In retail trade, labor productivity grew 5.0 percent, while output rose 4.6 percent and hours fell 0.4
percent. Productivity increased in 22 of the 27 detailed retail trade industries in 2013, as output grew in
23 industries and hours rose in 17. The largest productivity increases were in used merchandise stores;
jewelry, luggage, and leather goods stores; clothing stores; and florists. In each of these industries output
rose and hours fell. Unit labor costs fell in 19 retail trade industries.
In food services and drinking places, labor productivity declined 2.4 percent, as output grew 0.6
percent and hours rose 3.0 percent. Productivity and output fell in three of the four detailed industries in
this sector, while hours grew in three. Limited-service eating places was the only industry in this sector
to record an increase in productivity, output, and hours. Unit labor costs rose in three of these industries.
Over the longer term (1987 to 2013), productivity performance in the wholesale trade and food services
and drinking places sectors was more favorable than in 2013. From 1987 to 2013, productivity increased
at an average annual rate of 3.1 percent in wholesale trade and 0.4 percent in food services and drinking
places. In the mining and retail trade sectors, however, productivity growth in the current year outpaced
the long-term rates of -0.2 percent and 2.9 percent per year, respectively. Unit labor costs rose in mining,
in wholesale trade and in food services and drinking places, but fell in retail trade from 1987 to 2013.
Productivity increased in more mining, trade, and food services and drinking places industries over the
longer term than in 2013, with productivity rising in 51 of the 54 detailed industries from 1987 to 2013.
Unit labor costs fell in 17 of the detailed industries over the period.
Revisions: The mining industries in this release incorporate data from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Mineral
Commodity Summaries 2014 (February 2014) and the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s
Monthly Energy Review (May 2014). These data were used to develop output estimates which allowed
BLS to update the mining industries to 2013 earlier than usual. The trade and food services and drinking
places measures in this release incorporate preliminary data from the Census Bureau’s Annual
Wholesale Trade Report (March 2014), Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey (May 2014), Annual Retail
Trade Survey (April 2014), and the Annual Revision of the Monthly Retail and Food Services: Sales and
Inventories (May 2014), as well as data from the Census Bureau’s Nonemployer Statistics (April 2014).
The labor productivity and output series for all industries have been revised for 2012 and earlier years as
a result. This news release also incorporates the annual benchmark revision of the BLS Current
Employment Statistics (CES) survey published in February 2014. For the first time, labor hours in this
news release represent hours at work. Data on hours paid from the CES were adjusted using industry
hours-worked to hours-paid ratios derived from National Compensation Survey (NCS) data. In addition,
the unit labor cost measures incorporate preliminary data from the BLS Quarterly Census of
Employment and Wages (June 2014). All of the measures for 2013 in this release are preliminary and
subject to revision.
Other: While the rates of change reported by BLS in this news release are rounded to one decimal place,
all industry productivity percent changes are calculated using index numbers rounded to three decimal
places. Year-to-year movements in industry productivity may be erratic, particularly in smaller
industries. The annual measures based on sample data may differ from measures generated by a census
of establishments in the industry. Annual changes in an industry’s output and use of labor may reflect
cyclical changes in the economy as well as long-term trends. As a result, long-term productivity trends
tend to be more reliable indicators of industry performance than year-to-year changes. The industries
included in this release are classified according to the 2007 NAICS.
More detailed data for industries covered in this release and for additional industries are available on the
BLS Labor Productivity and Costs website at www.bls.gov/lpc/tables.htm. Data include productivity
and related indexes; rates of change; and levels of industry employment, hours, nominal value of
production, and labor compensation. Additional information can be obtained by calling the Division of
Industry Productivity Studies (202-691-5618) or by sending a request by e-mail to dipsweb@bls.gov.
Information in this report will be made available to sensory-impaired individuals upon request. Voice
phone: 202-691-5618; TDD message referral phone number: 1-800-877-8339.
Customers can subscribe to the industry productivity program’s news releases on the BLS website at
https://subscriptions.bls.gov/accounts/USDOLBLS/subscriber/new.
Technical Note
Labor Productivity: The industry labor productivity measures describe the relationship between
industry output and the labor time involved in its production. They show the changes from period to
period in the amount of goods and services produced per hour. Although the labor productivity measures
relate output to hours of all persons in an industry, they do not measure the specific contribution of labor
or any other factor of production. Rather, they reflect the joint effects of many influences, including
changes in technology; capital investment; utilization of capacity, energy, and materials; the use of
purchased services inputs, including contract employment services; the organization of production;
managerial skill; and the characteristics and effort of the workforce.
Output: Industry output is measured as an annual-weighted index of the changes in the various products
or services (in real terms) provided for sale outside the industry. Real industry output is usually derived
by deflating nominal sales or values of production using BLS price indexes, but for some industries it is
measured by physical quantities of output. Industry output measures are constructed primarily using data
from the economic censuses and annual surveys of the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of
Commerce, together with information on price changes primarily from BLS. Other data sources include
the Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy; and the U.S. Geological Survey,
U.S. Department of Interior.
Labor Hours: Labor hours reflect annual hours worked by all employed persons in an industry. Data
on industry employment and hours come primarily from the BLS Current Employment Statistics (CES)
survey and the Current Population Survey (CPS). CES data on the number of total and nonsupervisory
worker jobs held by wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments are supplemented with CPS
self-employed and unpaid family worker data to estimate industry employment. Hours worked estimates
are derived using CES and CPS employment, CES data on average weekly hours paid of nonsupervisory
workers, CPS data on hours of supervisory, self-employed, and unpaid family workers, and ratios of
hours-worked to hours-paid based on data from the BLS National Compensation Survey (NCS). For
some industries, employment and hours data are supplemented or further disaggregated using data from
the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), the Census Bureau, or other sources.
Hours worked are estimated separately for different types of workers and then are directly aggregated;
no adjustments for labor composition are made.
Unit Labor Costs: Unit labor costs represent the cost of labor required to produce one unit of output.
The unit labor cost indexes are computed by dividing an index of nominal labor compensation by an
index of real industry output. Unit labor costs also describe the relationship between compensation per
hour and real output per hour (labor productivity). Increases in hourly compensation increase unit labor
costs; increases in labor productivity offset hourly compensation increases and lower unit labor costs.
Labor Compensation: Labor compensation, defined as payroll plus supplemental payments, is a
measure of the cost to the employer of securing the services of labor. Payroll includes salaries, wages,
commissions, dismissal pay, bonuses, vacation and sick leave pay, and compensation in kind.
Supplemental payments include both legally required expenditures and payments for voluntary
programs. The legally required portion consists primarily of Federal old age and survivors’ insurance,
unemployment compensation, and workers’ compensation. Payments for voluntary programs include all
programs not specifically required by legislation, such as the employer portion of private health
insurance and pension plans. Industry compensation measures are constructed primarily using data from
the BLS QCEW and the economic censuses of the Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Table 1. Percent change in labor productivity, unit labor costs, and related data, 2012-2013
Industry
NAICS code
2013 Employment (thousands)
Percent change, 2012-2013
Labor productivity
Output
Hours
Labor compensation
Unit labor costs
Mining Industries
Mining
21
831.4
8.5
8.4
-0.1
2.5
-5.4
Oil and gas extraction
211
199.8
11.2
11.1
-0.1
2.7
-7.5
Oil and gas extraction
2111
199.8
11.2
11.1
-0.1
2.7
-7.5
Mining, except oil and gas
212
211.4
4.7
-0.2
-4.6
-3.0
-2.9
Coal mining
2121
79.4
5.6
-3.2
-8.3
-8.3
-5.3
Metal ore mining
2122
44.7
6.9
0.5
-5.9
0.7
0.1
Nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying
2123
87.3
3.4
3.3
-0.1
1.6
-1.6
Wholesale Trade
Wholesale trade
42
5,906.9
2.3
4.2
1.9
2.1
-2.0
Durable goods
423
2,948.6
2.8
4.6
1.8
1.7
-2.8
Motor vehicles and parts
4231
330.7
-0.4
3.0
3.3
1.3
-1.6
Furniture and furnishings
4232
102.2
-0.1
5.7
5.8
1.8
-3.7
Lumber and construction supplies
4233
196.1
-1.6
5.3
7.0
10.8
5.2
Commercial equipment
4234
632.1
3.2
3.4
0.3
0.5
-2.8
Metals and minerals
4235
123.0
-0.6
1.1
1.7
-2.6
-3.7
Electric goods
4236
324.0
8.3
5.9
-2.3
0.3
-5.2
Hardware and plumbing
4237
232.7
-0.1
5.1
5.2
4.7
-0.4
Machinery and supplies
4238
680.6
6.6
10.2
3.4
3.5
-6.1
Miscellaneous durable goods
4239
327.2
0.7
-2.0
-2.7
-2.7
-0.8
Nondurable goods
424
2,059.1
1.9
3.7
1.8
1.8
-1.9
Paper and paper products
4241
122.3
1.1
2.7
1.6
0.5
-2.1
Druggists' goods
4242
189.4
2.3
1.6
-0.6
1.2
-0.4
Apparel and piece goods
4243
152.7
-4.6
-0.2
4.6
-5.5
-5.3
Grocery and related products
4244
753.8
1.7
3.1
1.3
3.1
0.0
Farm product raw materials
4245
79.7
18.6
10.1
-7.2
3.7
-5.7
Chemicals
4246
130.2
5.2
3.5
-1.6
0.4
-3.0
Petroleum
4247
98.1
0.8
6.3
5.5
4.0
-2.2
Alcoholic beverages
4248
182.3
-7.4
-0.1
7.9
5.9
6.0
Miscellaneous nondurable goods
4249
350.6
0.9
3.4
2.5
1.4
-2.0
Electronic markets and agents and brokers
425
899.2
2.2
4.6
2.4
4.1
-0.6
Electronic markets and agents and brokers
4251
899.2
2.2
4.6
2.4
4.1
-0.6
Retail Trade
Retail trade
44-45
15,876.9
5.0
4.6
-0.4
1.8
-2.7
Motor vehicle and parts dealers
441
1,858.2
7.2
8.9
1.6
5.0
-3.6
Automobile dealers
4411
1,173.8
9.3
10.1
0.8
5.5
-4.2
Other motor vehicle dealers
4412
137.1
7.7
8.9
1.1
4.6
-4.0
Auto parts, accessories, and tire stores
4413
547.3
-5.4
-1.8
3.7
3.7
5.6
Furniture and home furnishings stores
442
482.3
4.4
5.8
1.4
3.2
-2.4
Furniture stores
4421
227.1
3.6
2.2
-1.3
2.9
0.7
Home furnishings stores
4422
255.2
5.3
10.0
4.5
3.7
-5.7
Electronics and appliance stores
443
503.6
9.9
9.0
-0.8
-6.1
-13.9
Electronics and appliance stores
4431
503.6
9.9
9.0
-0.8
-6.1
-13.9
Building material and garden supply stores
444
1,254.8
2.7
3.8
1.1
4.5
0.7
Building material and supplies dealers
4441
1,094.3
2.4
2.6
0.2
4.5
1.9
Lawn and garden equipment and supplies stores
4442
160.5
2.5
10.3
7.6
4.3
-5.4
Food and beverage stores
445
3,012.3
1.6
1.8
0.3
0.7
-1.1
Grocery stores
4451
2,600.8
1.1
1.5
0.5
1.2
-0.3
Specialty food stores
4452
246.3
7.5
3.7
-3.5
-3.1
-6.6
Beer, wine and liquor stores
4453
165.2
1.9
4.7
2.8
-1.5
-6.0
Health and personal care stores
446
1,056.7
0.4
1.8
1.4
2.4
0.6
Health and personal care stores
4461
1,056.7
0.4
1.8
1.4
2.4
0.6
Gasoline stations
447
878.1
-1.2
1.2
2.4
1.4
0.2
Gasoline stations
4471
878.1
-1.2
1.2
2.4
1.4
0.2
Clothing and clothing accessories stores
448
1,480.3
8.0
2.2
-5.3
0.4
-1.8
Clothing stores
4481
1,103.6
10.3
1.3
-8.1
0.9
-0.5
Shoe stores
4482
199.9
-6.6
-0.7
6.3
0.9
1.7
Jewelry, luggage, and leather goods stores
4483
176.8
12.2
9.6
-2.3
-1.3
-10.0
Sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores
451
678.8
2.4
4.4
2.0
2.8
-1.6
Sporting goods and musical instrument stores
4511
561.0
2.0
6.2
4.1
6.9
0.7
Book, periodical, and music stores
4512
117.8
4.1
-3.2
-7.0
-12.8
-9.9
General merchandise stores
452
3,073.4
4.8
1.3
-3.4
0.3
-0.9
Department stores
4521
1,344.7
8.0
-3.8
-10.9
-12.5
-9.1
Other general merchandise stores
4529
1,728.7
-0.1
3.2
3.3
11.1
7.6
Miscellaneous store retailers
453
940.4
6.7
4.4
-2.2
-2.2
-6.3
Florists
4531
81.8
10.1
3.6
-5.9
0.4
-3.1
Office supplies, stationery and gift stores
4532
312.4
8.6
6.6
-1.8
-1.9
-8.0
Used merchandise stores
4533
209.1
17.5
10.2
-6.2
-4.7
-13.6
Other miscellaneous store retailers
4539
337.1
0.9
1.8
0.9
-1.7
-3.5
Nonstore retailers
454
658.0
7.8
11.5
3.4
4.3
-6.5
Electronic shopping and mail-order houses
4541
343.5
8.4
13.2
4.5
4.4
-7.8
Vending machine operators
4542
45.8
-0.9
3.8
4.7
-0.3
-3.9
Direct selling establishments
4543
268.7
3.5
4.9
1.3
4.7
-0.2
Food Services and Drinking Places
Food services and drinking places
722
10,570.2
-2.4
0.6
3.0
4.1
3.5
Full-service restaurants
7221
4,958.7
-3.8
-0.3
3.6
5.2
5.5
Limited-service eating places
7222
4,515.5
0.9
4.2
3.3
3.7
-0.4
Special food services
7223
726.4
-9.3
-10.5
-1.3
1.4
13.3
Drinking places, alcoholic beverages
7224
369.6
-5.3
-2.5
3.0
0.3
2.9
Table 2. Average annual percent change in labor productivity, unit labor costs, and related data, 1987-2013
United States Department of Labor
