The Indeed Hiring Lab tracks employment trends in the Retail and Hospitality vertical, analyzing the latest Indeed and Bureau of Labor Statistics data. We look at overall labor market trends, and then dive deeper into job postings trends in various occupational categories. Finally, we look at the trends in the quits rate in the Leisure and Hospitality sector.

Indeed job postings 

Overall employer demand for workers remains strong. As of April 8th Indeed job postings are 56.5% above their pre-pandemic baseline, but overall growth in labor demand has slowed in recent months. 

Line graph titled “US job postings 56.5% above pre-pandemic baseline.”
Line graph titled “US job postings 56.5% above pre-pandemic baseline.” With a vertical axis ranging from -50% to 50%, Indeed tracked the percent change in seasonally adjusted job postings between February 1, 2020 and April 8, 2022. As of April 8th Indeed job postings are 56.5% above their pre-pandemic baseline, but overall growth in labor demand has slowed in recent months. 

Retail job postings 

Job postings in the retail vertical have slowed as well. Hospitality & Tourism (24.7% above pre-pandemic baseline) and Food Preparation & Service (+41%) are mostly flat since late 2021, while Retail job postings (+33%) declined in the beginning months of 2022. 

Line graph titled “Retail & hospitality postings lag overall labor market.”
Line graph titled “Retail & hospitality postings lag overall labor market.” With a vertical axis ranging from -100% to 100%, Indeed tracked with four lines, the percent change in seasonally adjusted job postings between February 1, 2020 and April 8, 2022. Hospitality & Tourism (24.7% above pre-pandemic baseline) and Food Preparation & Service (+41%) are mostly flat since late 2021, while Retail job postings (+33%) declined in the beginning months of 2022. 

Quits tapering off  

There are signs of easing in the Great Resignation as the quits rate across the labor market — and in the leisure & hospitality industry —  has flattened out in recent months. This is particularly good news for recruiters in the hospitality space, where the typically-high turnover rate rose higher than that of the overall labor market in the recovery from the pandemic, placing even more burden on recruiters. 

Line graph titled “Quitting is cooling down in the leisure and hospitality sector.”
Line graph titled “Quitting is cooling down in the leisure and hospitality sector.” With a vertical axis ranging from 4% to 6%, Indeed tracked the quits rate in the Leisure and Hospitality sectors between January 2019 and February 2022. The quits rate in this sector has flattened out in recent months.

For more labor market insights from the Indeed Hiring Lab, follow along on our blog at hiringlab.org.