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Nonfarm business productivity down 5.2 percent, unit labor costs up 9.6 percent, third quarter 2021
December 13, 2021
Nonfarm business sector labor productivity decreased at an annual rate of 5.2 percent in the third quarter of 2021. That was the largest decline in quarterly productivity since the second quarter of 1960, when productivity decreased 6.1 percent. In the third quarter of 2021, output increased 1.8 percent and hours worked increased 7.4 percent.
Nonfarm business productivity and costs, percent change from previous quarter at annual rate, second quarter 1947 to third quarter 2021
Quarter
Labor productivity
Output
Hours worked
Unit labor costs
Hourly compensation
Real hourly compensation
Q2 1947
9.5%
9.5%
0.1%
-0.1%
9.4%
3.4%
Q3 1947
-11.7
-10.8
1.1
27.3
12.5
3.1
Q4 1947
18.0
22.6
3.9
-7.0
9.9
-1.8
Q1 1948
1.8
4.4
2.6
7.9
9.7
1.0
Q2 1948
-1.0
-1.2
-0.2
6.6
5.5
-1.0
Q3 1948
0.4
3.3
2.9
8.0
8.5
1.5
Q4 1948
1.8
-2.0
-3.7
2.2
4.0
7.9
Q1 1949
4.2
-2.7
-6.6
-1.6
2.5
6.5
Q2 1949
4.3
-2.5
-6.5
-3.3
0.9
1.3
Q3 1949
9.8
5.2
-4.2
-8.1
0.9
4.3
Q4 1949
-2.2
-3.8
-1.6
1.0
-1.3
-0.3
Q1 1950
14.4
18.0
3.2
-3.2
10.7
12.1
Q2 1950
5.0
15.8
10.3
3.7
8.9
5.6
Q3 1950
8.9
23.4
13.2
-0.8
8.0
0.5
Q4 1950
0.7
4.5
3.7
9.6
10.4
1.9
Q1 1951
0.5
7.4
6.9
9.4
9.9
-6.3
Q2 1951
-1.2
2.0
3.3
10.5
9.2
5.0
Q3 1951
9.3
5.1
-3.9
-4.3
4.6
4.8
Q4 1951
1.2
1.4
0.2
6.6
7.8
1.7
Q1 1952
2.1
4.7
2.6
2.2
4.3
2.7
Q2 1952
-0.8
-2.4
-1.7
3.9
3.0
2.0
Q3 1952
-2.0
0.9
2.9
7.1
5.0
2.2
Q4 1952
8.6
20.7
11.2
1.6
10.4
9.8
Q1 1953
3.5
7.9
4.2
1.1
4.6
5.9
Q2 1953
1.0
1.7
0.7
3.8
4.9
3.2
Q3 1953
1.7
-2.3
-3.9
2.6
4.3
2.4
Q4 1953
-1.3
-7.4
-6.2
5.5
4.1
3.3
Q1 1954
0.8
-4.5
-5.3
2.6
3.5
2.5
Q2 1954
2.8
-0.2
-3.0
-2.3
0.5
1.1
Q3 1954
7.4
5.8
-1.5
-3.9
3.2
4.3
Q4 1954
4.5
9.9
5.1
-0.6
4.0
5.3
Q1 1955
8.1
15.2
6.6
-4.9
2.7
2.2
Q2 1955
1.4
6.8
5.3
1.9
3.3
3.9
Q3 1955
1.5
5.8
4.2
5.8
7.3
7.0
Q4 1955
-1.5
3.4
4.9
5.2
3.7
2.4
Q1 1956
-4.7
-2.4
2.5
11.6
6.4
6.3
Q2 1956
2.0
2.9
0.9
5.8
7.9
5.1
Q3 1956
-0.1
-1.7
-1.6
6.4
6.3
2.0
Q4 1956
4.4
6.7
2.2
2.4
6.9
3.3
Q1 1957
4.7
5.1
0.4
1.1
5.8
2.4
Q2 1957
-1.6
-2.4
-0.8
5.8
4.1
0.6
Q3 1957
5.8
3.7
-1.9
-0.3
5.5
1.7
Q4 1957
1.4
-6.8
-8.1
4.1
5.6
3.5
Q1 1958
-5.3
-13.6
-8.7
5.7
0.1
-4.5
Q2 1958
7.8
1.7
-5.7
-3.9
3.7
0.9
Q3 1958
7.7
13.0
4.9
1.7
9.6
9.8
Q4 1958
7.0
13.5
6.1
-5.0
1.6
1.2
Q1 1959
0.5
8.5
8.0
3.4
3.9
3.2
Q2 1959
3.9
12.0
7.8
-0.5
3.4
2.7
Q3 1959
0.5
-0.6
-1.2
1.8
2.4
0.3
Q4 1959
-1.3
-1.2
0.1
5.2
4.0
1.4
Q1 1960
9.7
12.4
2.5
-0.8
8.8
8.4
Q2 1960
-6.1
-5.4
0.7
9.3
2.7
0.2
Q3 1960
2.4
0.1
-2.2
0.0
2.4
2.2
Q4 1960
-5.1
-8.6
-3.7
7.3
1.8
-0.8
Q1 1961
5.2
2.9
-2.2
-1.6
3.6
2.7
Q2 1961
11.0
9.9
-0.9
-4.7
5.7
5.8
Q3 1961
7.0
9.5
2.4
-3.7
3.0
1.4
Q4 1961
3.4
8.8
5.2
-0.5
2.9
2.3
Q1 1962
6.7
8.3
1.5
-0.2
6.5
4.9
Q2 1962
-1.6
3.2
4.9
4.4
2.7
1.2
Q3 1962
6.8
6.0
-0.8
-3.7
2.9
1.7
Q4 1962
3.1
0.5
-2.5
0.6
3.7
2.7
Q1 1963
1.2
3.6
2.4
2.9
4.0
2.7
Q2 1963
3.1
5.7
2.6
-1.0
2.1
1.3
Q3 1963
10.2
11.4
1.1
-5.5
4.1
1.6
Q4 1963
-0.3
2.9
3.2
5.0
4.6
3.5
Q1 1964
3.1
11.3
7.9
-3.6
-0.6
-2.2
Q2 1964
2.2
4.0
1.7
2.2
4.5
3.8
Q3 1964
4.2
6.9
2.6
1.1
5.4
4.4
Q4 1964
-3.8
0.0
4.0
7.0
3.0
1.1
Q1 1965
5.8
12.6
6.4
-4.0
1.6
0.4
Q2 1965
1.9
6.0
4.0
0.8
2.7
0.1
Q3 1965
8.4
9.5
1.0
-3.8
4.3
3.0
Q4 1965
7.1
11.3
3.8
-1.0
6.0
3.8
Q1 1966
5.5
11.8
5.9
1.5
7.1
3.2
Q2 1966
-2.8
1.1
4.0
9.5
6.5
2.7
Q3 1966
1.3
3.2
1.9
4.5
5.8
2.3
Q4 1966
2.6
1.5
-1.1
2.9
5.5
2.1
Q1 1967
3.2
2.7
-0.5
2.2
5.5
4.5
Q2 1967
1.6
-0.9
-2.4
5.1
6.7
4.1
Q3 1967
2.1
3.4
1.3
3.4
5.5
1.4
Q4 1967
1.2
3.0
1.8
4.3
5.6
1.0
Q1 1968
9.3
10.0
0.7
1.8
11.2
6.9
Q2 1968
3.8
7.8
3.9
2.8
6.7
2.6
Q3 1968
0.2
3.0
2.8
6.5
6.7
1.1
Q4 1968
-1.0
1.5
2.5
9.2
8.2
3.0
Q1 1969
3.2
7.1
3.8
2.3
5.6
0.6
Q2 1969
-3.2
0.4
3.8
10.2
6.6
0.1
Q3 1969
0.5
2.4
1.9
6.8
7.3
1.6
Q4 1969
-1.9
-3.1
-1.2
10.1
8.0
1.6
Q1 1970
1.3
-0.3
-1.6
6.1
7.4
0.8
Q2 1970
6.1
0.6
-5.2
0.5
6.5
0.8
Q3 1970
6.5
4.4
-2.0
0.2
6.7
2.4
Q4 1970
-3.6
-6.5
-3.0
7.9
4.1
-1.8
Q1 1971
12.4
14.5
1.9
-3.4
8.5
4.9
Q2 1971
1.2
2.5
1.3
4.8
6.0
2.2
Q3 1971
3.9
3.9
0.0
1.7
5.6
1.5
Q4 1971
-3.4
0.8
4.4
6.4
2.8
-0.2
Q1 1972
6.4
11.3
4.6
4.9
11.6
8.1
Q2 1972
8.1
11.3
2.9
-3.1
4.7
2.1
Q3 1972
2.3
4.7
2.3
3.0
5.4
2.1
Q4 1972
3.5
7.9
4.3
4.1
7.7
3.4
Q1 1973
9.3
16.1
6.2
1.5
11.0
4.2
Q2 1973
0.1
4.4
4.3
5.5
5.7
-2.7
Q3 1973
-3.7
-1.1
2.7
11.2
7.1
-0.9
Q4 1973
-2.5
-0.5
2.0
11.1
8.3
-2.0
Q1 1974
-0.9
-2.6
-1.7
10.4
9.4
-2.7
Q2 1974
-1.2
-0.1
1.1
12.2
10.9
-0.2
Q3 1974
-4.0
-5.3
-1.4
17.1
12.4
0.6
Q4 1974
3.7
-3.0
-6.5
7.5
11.5
-1.2
Q1 1975
3.2
-9.2
-12.0
9.2
12.7
3.6
Q2 1975
6.6
2.7
-3.6
2.1
8.8
3.7
Q3 1975
5.0
8.9
3.7
2.2
7.2
-0.9
Q4 1975
0.4
7.5
7.1
6.3
6.7
-0.8
Q1 1976
6.1
13.2
6.7
1.7
7.9
3.1
Q2 1976
3.8
4.0
0.2
3.8
7.7
4.0
Q3 1976
1.0
2.6
1.6
7.6
8.7
2.0
Q4 1976
1.2
3.4
2.2
7.5
8.8
2.7
Q1 1977
2.6
7.0
4.3
5.1
7.8
0.2
Q2 1977
1.6
9.6
7.9
6.7
8.4
1.1
Q3 1977
4.3
8.8
4.4
3.6
8.0
2.2
Q4 1977
-5.0
-1.2
4.0
12.7
7.1
1.0
Q1 1978
0.2
2.1
1.9
10.8
11.0
4.5
Q2 1978
8.1
21.3
12.2
-1.0
7.0
-1.8
Q3 1978
0.3
3.7
3.4
7.6
7.9
0.4
Q4 1978
2.6
7.7
4.9
7.5
10.3
2.1
Q1 1979
-3.6
-0.8
2.9
14.8
10.7
1.1
Q2 1979
-0.7
0.5
1.3
10.3
9.5
-1.6
Q3 1979
-0.5
3.2
3.7
9.8
9.2
-1.7
Q4 1979
-0.4
0.4
0.8
11.0
10.6
0.2
Q1 1980
2.0
0.9
-1.0
9.6
11.7
-1.4
Q2 1980
-4.0
-10.9
-7.1
16.0
11.3
1.1
Q3 1980
1.6
-0.2
-1.8
8.8
10.6
0.5
Q4 1980
4.1
9.8
5.5
6.7
11.1
1.2
Q1 1981
6.3
8.8
2.3
3.9
10.4
-1.0
Q2 1981
-5.1
-4.8
0.3
12.8
7.1
-0.6
Q3 1981
3.9
3.6
-0.3
5.2
9.3
0.9
Q4 1981
-4.1
-5.8
-1.8
11.3
6.8
-0.3
Q1 1982
-1.8
-8.4
-6.7
13.1
11.0
5.8
Q2 1982
0.0
1.9
1.9
3.1
3.1
-1.1
Q3 1982
0.7
-2.1
-2.9
5.6
6.4
-0.6
Q4 1982
3.4
-0.4
-3.7
2.5
6.1
1.5
Q1 1983
5.2
7.9
2.5
-1.1
4.1
1.7
Q2 1983
8.9
14.1
4.8
-4.6
3.9
-1.0
Q3 1983
1.8
10.2
8.3
0.3
2.1
-1.7
Q4 1983
2.2
10.1
7.7
2.4
4.7
0.9
Q1 1984
1.5
9.5
7.9
3.1
4.6
-0.9
Q2 1984
2.4
7.8
5.3
1.8
4.3
0.4
Q3 1984
1.8
3.6
1.7
4.1
6.0
2.8
Q4 1984
0.5
3.1
2.6
2.8
3.3
-0.1
Q1 1985
1.2
4.5
3.2
4.0
5.2
1.5
Q2 1985
1.3
4.0
2.7
2.6
3.9
0.3
Q3 1985
5.2
6.4
1.1
0.8
6.1
3.4
Q4 1985
1.6
3.7
2.0
6.1
7.8
3.8
Q1 1986
4.9
4.2
-0.6
0.9
5.9
3.7
Q2 1986
3.2
2.1
-1.1
1.5
4.7
6.9
Q3 1986
1.7
3.8
2.0
3.3
5.1
2.7
Q4 1986
-0.8
2.2
3.0
6.4
5.5
2.9
Q1 1987
-1.8
3.2
5.1
3.7
1.8
-2.8
Q2 1987
2.8
5.1
2.2
0.2
3.0
-1.3
Q3 1987
0.1
2.9
2.8
4.1
4.2
0.1
Q4 1987
3.9
8.4
4.3
0.8
4.8
1.6
Q1 1988
1.4
1.8
0.4
5.6
7.1
4.3
Q2 1988
1.0
6.9
5.8
3.9
4.9
0.6
Q3 1988
1.1
2.1
1.0
3.9
5.0
0.4
Q4 1988
0.9
5.6
4.6
2.1
3.0
-0.7
Q1 1989
0.2
4.3
4.0
0.9
1.2
-2.9
Q2 1989
1.3
2.8
1.5
0.4
1.7
-4.2
Q3 1989
2.0
2.9
0.9
1.7
3.7
0.7
Q4 1989
0.1
0.1
0.0
5.8
5.9
2.2
Q1 1990
3.8
5.0
1.2
4.0
8.0
1.4
Q2 1990
2.8
1.0
-1.8
5.1
8.1
4.2
Q3 1990
1.3
-0.8
-2.1
4.0
5.4
-1.2
Q4 1990
-4.1
-5.7
-1.7
7.5
3.1
-3.1
Q1 1991
1.3
-2.7
-3.9
1.1
2.4
0.3
Q2 1991
6.6
4.0
-2.4
1.2
7.9
5.9
Q3 1991
3.5
3.0
-0.5
1.4
4.9
2.4
Q4 1991
1.9
1.2
-0.7
3.5
5.4
2.4
Q1 1992
8.2
5.6
-2.4
2.4
10.8
8.5
Q2 1992
3.5
5.1
1.5
0.3
3.8
1.0
Q3 1992
3.6
4.3
0.7
1.0
4.6
2.0
Q4 1992
2.5
5.1
2.6
-0.2
2.2
-0.8
Q1 1993
-3.4
0.1
3.6
0.5
-2.9
-4.9
Q2 1993
-2.3
2.2
4.6
5.5
3.0
0.1
Q3 1993
1.7
4.2
2.4
-1.6
0.1
-1.3
Q4 1993
1.6
5.5
3.8
1.4
3.0
0.2
Q1 1994
1.2
3.7
2.5
-3.4
-2.3
-3.4
Q2 1994
0.3
7.0
6.7
3.0
3.4
1.1
Q3 1994
-2.3
2.4
4.8
2.2
-0.1
-3.1
Q4 1994
4.3
6.0
1.7
-1.1
3.2
1.4
Q1 1995
0.3
2.2
1.9
2.1
2.4
-0.1
Q2 1995
1.9
1.3
-0.6
1.4
3.4
0.3
Q3 1995
-0.1
4.6
4.7
2.3
2.2
0.3
Q4 1995
2.3
3.3
1.0
1.0
3.3
1.2
Q1 1996
2.6
3.3
0.7
1.9
4.5
1.3
Q2 1996
3.9
7.9
3.8
-0.2
3.8
0.3
Q3 1996
1.5
4.9
3.4
1.6
3.1
1.0
Q4 1996
0.3
5.0
4.7
2.0
2.3
-1.0
Q1 1997
-0.8
2.6
3.4
5.6
4.7
2.5
Q2 1997
6.1
8.1
1.9
-2.2
3.7
2.7
Q3 1997
3.4
5.8
2.4
0.7
4.1
2.3
Q4 1997
2.0
3.9
1.9
5.3
7.4
5.2
Q1 1998
3.7
6.3
2.5
3.2
6.9
6.3
Q2 1998
2.2
4.3
2.1
2.9
5.2
4.0
Q3 1998
5.4
6.0
0.5
1.1
6.6
4.8
Q4 1998
3.1
8.3
5.0
-0.8
2.3
0.6
Q1 1999
5.7
5.0
-0.6
1.5
7.3
5.9
Q2 1999
1.4
3.6
2.2
0.3
1.7
-1.4
Q3 1999
3.9
6.6
2.6
-0.3
3.5
0.5
Q4 1999
6.0
7.7
1.7
2.2
8.3
5.0
Q1 2000
-1.5
0.4
2.0
16.7
14.9
10.4
Q2 2000
7.9
9.1
1.1
-6.4
1.0
-2.1
Q3 2000
-0.1
-0.3
-0.2
8.1
8.0
4.1
Q4 2000
4.0
2.6
-1.4
-1.8
2.2
-0.6
Q1 2001
-2.1
-2.3
-0.2
11.7
9.4
5.2
Q2 2001
7.1
3.1
-3.8
-5.1
1.6
-1.3
Q3 2001
2.4
-2.6
-4.9
-1.8
0.6
-0.5
Q4 2001
5.1
0.5
-4.4
-1.3
3.7
4.1
Q1 2002
8.6
4.9
-3.4
-6.2
1.9
0.5
Q2 2002
0.8
1.8
1.0
2.7
3.5
0.3
Q3 2002
2.9
1.5
-1.4
-0.9
2.1
-0.1
Q4 2002
-0.4
0.1
0.5
1.4
1.0
-1.3
Q1 2003
3.9
1.8
-2.1
-1.4
2.5
-1.6
Q2 2003
5.4
4.2
-1.2
1.6
7.1
7.8
Q3 2003
9.0
9.7
0.6
-2.7
6.1
3.0
Q4 2003
3.7
5.8
2.0
1.9
5.7
4.0
Q1 2004
-0.9
0.7
1.6
0.2
-0.7
-4.0
Q2 2004
4.2
4.5
0.3
3.6
8.0
4.7
Q3 2004
1.6
4.3
2.6
5.6
7.3
4.7
Q4 2004
2.0
4.2
2.1
-0.3
1.7
-2.6
Q1 2005
4.7
5.5
0.8
-1.8
2.8
0.8
Q2 2005
-0.8
1.5
2.3
3.2
2.4
-0.4
Q3 2005
2.5
3.8
1.3
2.5
5.1
-1.0
Q4 2005
0.4
2.8
2.4
2.1
2.5
-1.3
Q1 2006
3.0
7.2
4.0
5.0
8.2
6.0
Q2 2006
-0.7
0.6
1.3
1.0
0.3
-3.3
Q3 2006
-1.2
0.7
2.0
1.9
0.6
-3.0
Q4 2006
3.3
4.5
1.1
3.8
7.3
9.0
Q1 2007
1.0
1.2
0.1
9.0
10.2
6.0
Q2 2007
1.4
3.2
1.8
-1.6
-0.3
-4.7
Q3 2007
3.8
2.6
-1.2
-2.2
1.5
-1.0
Q4 2007
3.3
1.9
-1.3
1.4
4.7
-0.2
Q1 2008
-2.6
-3.7
-1.1
6.7
3.9
-0.6
Q2 2008
4.6
2.1
-2.3
-3.7
0.7
-4.4
Q3 2008
0.9
-3.4
-4.3
2.9
3.8
-2.3
Q4 2008
-2.3
-11.7
-9.6
6.5
4.1
14.2
Q1 2009
3.8
-6.4
-9.8
-13.3
-10.0
-7.5
Q2 2009
8.7
-0.8
-8.7
1.5
10.4
8.1
Q3 2009
5.4
1.4
-3.8
-3.1
2.2
-1.2
Q4 2009
6.3
5.4
-0.8
-3.4
2.7
-0.4
Q1 2010
2.2
2.2
0.0
-4.6
-2.4
-3.1
Q2 2010
0.6
4.5
3.8
3.4
4.1
4.2
Q3 2010
2.2
4.6
2.3
-0.5
1.7
0.5
Q4 2010
1.7
3.1
1.4
0.5
2.2
-1.0
Q1 2011
-2.7
-2.1
0.6
10.6
7.7
3.2
Q2 2011
0.5
4.2
3.7
-3.3
-2.8
-7.1
Q3 2011
-1.3
0.2
1.5
4.3
2.9
0.3
Q4 2011
2.8
5.9
3.0
-7.8
-5.3
-7.0
Q1 2012
1.8
5.1
3.2
8.0
10.0
7.4
Q2 2012
1.7
2.6
0.9
0.3
2.0
1.2
Q3 2012
-0.4
1.2
1.6
0.8
0.4
-1.5
Q4 2012
-1.3
0.8
2.1
12.5
11.0
8.1
Q1 2013
2.2
3.8
1.6
-7.7
-5.6
-7.2
Q2 2013
-1.3
0.2
1.6
4.3
3.0
3.4
Q3 2013
1.9
4.2
2.3
-2.9
-1.1
-3.2
Q4 2013
2.8
4.2
1.3
0.0
2.8
1.3
Q1 2014
-4.0
-2.1
1.9
12.5
8.1
5.3
Q2 2014
3.9
6.8
2.8
-5.4
-1.7
-3.8
Q3 2014
3.6
6.4
2.7
-0.9
2.6
1.5
Q4 2014
-2.2
2.3
4.6
6.7
4.3
5.3
Q1 2015
3.5
4.0
0.5
1.8
5.4
8.1
Q2 2015
1.1
3.0
1.8
2.2
3.3
0.5
Q3 2015
-0.1
1.3
1.4
1.4
1.3
-0.2
Q4 2015
-1.6
0.4
2.0
1.5
-0.1
-0.1
Q1 2016
1.4
2.7
1.3
-1.0
0.3
0.5
Q2 2016
-0.3
1.2
1.5
1.4
1.1
-2.0
Q3 2016
1.6
2.8
1.2
0.1
1.8
0.0
Q4 2016
2.3
2.8
0.4
2.0
4.4
1.8
Q1 2017
0.4
1.9
1.6
3.6
4.0
1.2
Q2 2017
-0.3
2.8
3.1
2.5
2.2
1.6
Q3 2017
3.2
3.8
0.6
1.8
5.1
3.1
Q4 2017
1.7
4.7
2.9
4.0
5.8
2.6
Q1 2018
1.2
3.6
2.4
1.1
2.3
-0.8
Q2 2018
1.6
3.9
2.2
-0.4
1.2
-1.3
Q3 2018
1.1
2.2
1.1
4.1
5.3
3.6
Q4 2018
0.1
1.1
1.0
1.6
1.7
0.1
Q1 2019
3.4
3.4
0.0
5.6
9.2
8.4
Q2 2019
4.3
3.6
-0.7
-2.8
1.4
-2.0
Q3 2019
0.8
3.2
2.4
-0.5
0.2
-1.1
Q4 2019
0.6
1.8
1.2
3.5
4.1
1.5
Q1 2020
-1.8
-7.4
-5.7
11.3
9.3
8.2
Q2 2020
11.2
-36.9
-43.2
10.3
22.7
26.6
Q3 2020
4.6
44.6
38.2
-9.9
-5.7
-10.0
Q4 2020
-3.4
6.2
9.9
13.3
9.4
6.8
Q1 2021
4.3
8.4
4.0
-2.8
1.4
-2.2
Q2 2021
2.4
8.5
5.9
5.9
8.4
0.0
Q3 2021
-5.2
1.8
7.4
9.6
3.9
-2.5
Unit labor costs in the nonfarm business sector increased at an annual rate of 9.6 percent in the third quarter of 2021, reflecting a 3.9-percent increase in hourly compensation and a 5.2-percent decrease in productivity.
United States Department of Labor
