Employment Dampens Recovery View - Modern Distribution Management

Employment Dampens Recovery View

Most distribution sectors still below prerecession employment levels.
jenel-white

Employment is still the measure that's holding back the feeling of recovery for many people. While sales levels have returned to or exceeded prerecession levels in 14 of 19 key wholesale distribution sectors, only four sectors have regained prerecession employment levels, according to Brian Lewandowski, associate director at the Business Research Division of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder, in MDM's 2015 Mid-Year Economic Update.

During the fourth quarter of 2014, only three sectors recorded year-over-year job losses – miscellaneous durable goods, pharmaceutical and other consumer products. The largest gains were seen in the building materials and construction and oil and gas sectors.

Overall, the unemployment and underemployment rates are declining, but increases in productivity have contributed to being able to do more with fewer people. And that's changing the industry's employment dynamic.

While some productivity gains may be temporary – employees simply working harder could lead to burnout and attrition – others, particularly those that have resulted from new technologies or processes, may be permanent. When's the last time you talked to a telephone operator?

View the 2015 Mid-Year Economic Update, featuring highlights from the 2015 Economic Benchmarks for Wholesale Distribution, by clicking here. Or order the Webcast DVD to share with your team.

Share this article

About the Author
Recommended Reading
Leave a Reply

Leave a Comment

Sign Up for the MDM Update Newsletter

The MDM update newsletter is your best source for news and trends in the wholesale distribution industry.

2

articles left

Want more Premium content from MDM?

Subscribe today and get:

  • New issues twice each month
  • Unlimited access to mdm.com, including 10+ years of archived data
  • Current trends analysis, market data and economic updates
  • Discounts on select store products and events

Subscribe to continue reading

MDM Premium Subscribers get:

  • Unlimited access to MDM.com
  • 1 year digital subscription, with new issues twice a month
  • Trends analysis, market data and quarterly economic updates
  • Deals on select store products and events

1

article
left

You have one free article remaining

Subscribe to MDM Premium to get unlimited access. Your subscription includes:

  • Two new issues a month
  • Access to 10+ years of archived data on mdm.com
  • Quarterly economic updates, trends analysis and market data
  • Store and event discounts

To continue reading, you must be an MDM Premium subscriber.

Join other distribution executives who use MDM Premium to optimize their business. Our insights and analysis help you enter the right new markets, turbocharge your sales and marketing efforts, identify business partners that help you scale, and stay ahead of your competitors.

Register for full access

By providing your email, you agree to receive announcements from us and our partners for our newsletter, events, surveys, and partner resources per MDM Terms & Conditions. You can withdraw consent at any time.

Learn More about Custom Reports

Request a Market Prospector Demo

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Get the MDM Update Newsletter

Wholesale distribution news and trends delivered right to your inbox.

Sign-up for our free newsletter and get:

  • Up-to-date news in a quick-to-read format
  • Free access to webcasts, podcasts and live events
  • Exclusive whitepapers, research and reports
  • And more!