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Mar 4, 2026 - Healthcare Hiring Driving Almost All US Job Growth

• US job growth is increasingly carried almost entirely by healthcare, highlighting a labor market that is expanding unevenly. Nearly all of the 130,000 jobs added in January 2026 came from healthcare or healthcare-related roles, while sectors such as finance, information, retail, transportation and government shed workers, and gains in construction and manufacturing were comparatively modest. Economists say healthcare has quietly propped up US employment for more than a year as other industries retrenched, reflecting strong demand from an aging population and the sector’s relative insulation from automation and economic downturns. That stability has helped keep overall job growth positive even as large parts of the economy stall, though some warn that relying so heavily on a single industry carries risks if hiring slows or policy shifts take effect. For now, healthcare’s broad geographic footprint and steady demand are acting as a key stabilizer in a cooling US labor market.
• Nineteen states raised minimum wages in January 2026, lifting pay for an estimated 8.3 million US workers and expanding pay floors exceeding $15 an hour. For HR consulting firms, the changes heighten demand for multistate compliance guidance, pay benchmarking, workforce planning and compensation redesign as clients adjust to higher labor costs and local variations. Thirty states set minimum wages above the federal $7.25 baseline, with Washington state reaching $17.13 and Hawaii posting the largest jump to $16. Voter-backed increases in Nebraska and Missouri pushed both to $15. According to the Economic Policy Institute, more workers now live in $15-plus states than in those tied to $7.25. The shifts, driven by cost-of-living pressures and broad public support, intensify debates over employment effects and pricing, underscoring the need for scenario modeling, turnover management and automation strategies - core offerings for HR advisers and staffing providers navigating tighter labor markets.

• A recent McKinsey survey of more than 9,500 US adults found that remote flexibility remains a decisive factor in retaining skilled professionals. About 43% of prime-age employees (25-54) already work remotely, while nearly 60% want that option, creating a 17-point expectation gap that fuels resignations. Seventeen percent of recent quitters left after employers tightened in-office mandates, and three-quarters of college degree holders reject inflexible roles. Among those with bachelor’s degrees, 60% currently work remotely and 75% prefer it, while high-income households (making $100,000+) show even stronger preferences (up to 70% favoring remote work). The survey also found women prefer remote work 8 to 3 points more than men, meaning strict attendance policies can undermine diversity and retention. McKinsey data further link flexibility to performance: 35% of hybrid companies reported double-digit revenue growth versus 28% of office-bound firms. The results suggest that autonomy, not proximity, now defines workplace competitiveness.
• There are more Americans unemployed than there are job openings for the first time since the pandemic, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. There were 7.1 million job openings in the US in the month of July and 7.2 million unemployed workers. Available private sector jobs continued a downward trend for the second straight month to 6.4 million. New hires for the month went up slightly to 5.3 million, while the number of people quitting their jobs was flat at 3.2 million. Experts say the numbers indicate that unemployed workers have stayed out of the job market longer than usual, and that the shift reflects a dip in job openings rather than more people being laid off. The country’s aging population and US immigration policies have also knocked labor force participation to its lowest level since 2022.