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Private-Sector Hiring and Vacancies in Summer 2022

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June 2024
Private-Sector Hiring and Vacancies in Summer 2022

Faith Ulrich

In Summer 2022, BLS conducted a survey of private-sector business establishments to learn about hiring, vacancies, and telework. At that time, when the unemployment rate and the number of unemployed persons per job opening were at near historic lows, many employers had difficulty filling job vacancies. This Spotlight focuses on hiring by industry and area. It also examines how establishments sought to attract new workers, including teleworkers.

1 in 5 establishments had vacancies they were seeking to fill in August–September 2022

 Across all private-sector industries, 20.9 percent of establishments had vacancies they were seeking to fill in August–September 2022. Accommodation and food services had the highest percentage of establishments with vacancies (34.0 percent). By contrast, natural resources and mining had the lowest percentage of establishments with vacancies (12.1 percent).

Accommodation and food services had the highest percentage of establishments hire new employees

Across all private-sector industries, 22.4 percent of establishments hired at least one new employee in July 2022. Nearly half (45.9 percent) of all establishments in accommodation and food services hired new employees, while just 14.7 percent of establishments in financial activities did so. 

15.8 percent of establishments hired for positions open 30 days or less

The length of time a position is open can be used as a proxy for determining whether a position is hard to fill. In July 2022, 7.0 percent of establishments hired new employees for positions open for more than 30 days and 15.8 percent hired for positions open for 30 days or less. Accommodation and food services had the highest percentage of establishments in both categories: 14.9 percent hired for positions open more than 30 days and 33.6 percent for positions open 30 days or less. The lowest percentages were in natural resources and mining (3.9 percent) for positions open more than 30 days and in financial activities (10.4 percent) for positions open 30 days or less.

Over 20 percent of establishments in Nevada and Tennessee hired for positions open 30 days or less

In July 2022, 20.3 percent of establishments in Nevada hired for positions open 30 days or less, as did 20.2 percent of those in Tennessee and 19.4 percent in Indiana. By contrast, the lowest percentages occurred in the U.S. Virgin Islands (8.9 percent), Vermont (11.8 percent), Pennsylvania (12.4 percent), and Idaho (12.7 percent).

10.5 percent of establishments in Minnesota and Wisconsin hired for positions open more than 30 days

In July 2022, establishments were most likely to hire for positions open for more than 30 days in Minnesota and Wisconsin (10.5 percent each), Oregon (9.7 percent), and Massachusetts (9.6 percent). The U.S. Virgin Islands (2.9 percent), Louisiana (4.7 percent), and Wyoming and Arkansas (5.0 percent each) had the lowest shares of establishments that hired for these often harder-to-fill positions.

Information had the highest percentage of establishments hire at least one remote worker

An employee who teleworks all of the time is often referred to as a remote worker. Across all private-sector industries, 2.4 percent of establishments hired at least one remote worker in July 2022 and 27.5 percent of establishments had employees teleworking some or all the time in August–September 2022. Information had the highest percentage of establishments hire at least one remote worker (9.8 percent) and the highest percentage of employees teleworking some or all the time (67.4 percent). By contrast, less than 1.0 percent of establishments in accommodation and food services; arts, entertainment, and recreation; construction; and natural resources and mining hired a remote worker.

Nearly 3 in 5 private District of Columbia establishments had employees teleworking

In August–September 2022, the highest rates of establishments with employees teleworking some or all the time were in the District of Columbia (57.2 percent), Colorado (36.3 percent), and Arizona and New Hampshire (34.9 percent each). By contrast, the lowest rates were in Puerto Rico (12.2 percent), Mississippi (12.5 percent), North Dakota (16.5 percent), and Alabama (17.4 percent).

7.1 percent of District of Columbia establishments hired at least one remote worker

The District of Columbia had the highest percentage of private-sector establishments hire a remote worker (7.1 percent), which was nearly double the percentage for Minnesota (3.8 percent), the next highest area. The lowest rate was in New Mexico, at less than 1.0 percent. About half of states had less than 2.0 percent of establishments hire at least one remote worker.

Increased starting pay was the most popular method of attracting new hires

In July 2022, 7.3 percent of private-sector establishments increased starting pay to attract new hires. The next most popular methods for attracting new hires were expanded advertising and starting to use recruiters/talent agencies, at 5.4 percent and 2.4 percent, respectively. The least common method was expanded telework or remote work, at 0.7 percent.

Health care and social assistance had the highest percentage of establishments expand benefits

In July 2022, health care and social assistance had the highest percentage of establishments offer hiring bonuses and expand benefits to attract new hires, at 4.9 percent and 2.8 percent, respectively. Accommodation and food services had the highest percentage of establishments increase starting pay, at 16.2 percent. The industry that had the lowest percentage of establishments increase starting pay was information, at 3.3 percent.

More information

Faith Ulrich is an economist in the Office of Employment and Unemployment Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. For questions about this Spotlight on Statistics, please email ulrich.faith@bls.gov.

Data in this Spotlight come from the 2022 Business Response Survey on Telework, Hiring, and Vacancies. The 2022 Business Response Survey on Telework, Hiring, and Vacancies was conducted from August–September 2022.