56% of businesses were recruiting for part-time roles, up from 36% in the previous quarter, reflecting a growing preference for flexible staffing arrangements.
US nonfarm payrolls increased by 147,000 in June, matching the average monthly gain of the past year. Most gains occurred in health care and state government sectors, while federal employment continued a decline due to actions by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The unemployment rate saw a slight decrease, falling 0.1 percentage points to 4.1%, remaining steady between 4.0% and 4.2% for over a year.
The federal government workers are, you know, they're hard working, a lot of them are highly skilled. But they're sitting doing government work that isn't much value.
From my vantage point, it's clear that the amount of full-time opportunities in design studios has dwindled over the last 2 or 3 years, with much more emphasis being put on freelance hires to give employers flexibility over their overheads during uncertain times.
These NIC changes create a significant burden for growing businesses at exactly the wrong time. Employers have been preparing for these increased costs by slowing hiring.
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) reports that small business confidence has improved slightly to -40.7 points, up from -64.5 in late 2024, indicating ongoing financial struggles.
