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According to the UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) Workforce Activity Report for Sept. 21-27, seasonally adjusted weekly U.S. shift growth for September is now averaging 1% per week. Shift work growth began to accelerate in late August with improved growth outpacing summer averages continuing through the middle of September. Overall, the total volume of shifts worked is now at 5.8% below pre-pandemic levels.

Leading up to Manufacturing Day – better known as “MFG Day” — on Friday, Oct. 2, Kronos Incorporated joins thousands of organizations around the world in celebrating essential workers in manufacturing and illuminating the industry’s substantial impact in 2020. As part of this initiative, Kronos — which will become UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) on Oct. 1 following its merger with Ultimate Software — today released a study commissioned by The Workforce Institute at UKG revealing pre-pandemic insights, recruitment strategies, and initiatives from hiring managers at U.S. manufacturing organizations that could help close the talent gap.

According to the UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) Workforce Activity Report for Sept. 14-20, seasonally adjusted average weekly U.S. shift growth for September is now at 1.1% per week. This marks the first time average weekly shift growth has topped 1% since June. Overall, the total volume of shifts worked remains 6.6% below pre-pandemic levels.

In a sweeping survey of employees and business leaders across 11 nations, The Workforce Institute at UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) found only a fraction of employees (20%) felt their organization met their needs during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the U.S. Workforce Activity Report for Sept. 7-13 from Kronos Incorporated – which will become UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) on Oct. 1 following its merger with Ultimate Software – the Labor Day observance resulted in an anticipated and unadjusted 11% decline in total shift volume. However, Labor Day week 2020 experienced a smaller decline than Labor Day 2019, which saw a 13.3% reduction in shift volume.

According to the U.S. Workforce Activity Report for Aug. 31-Sept. 6 from Kronos Incorporated – which will become UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) on Oct. 1 following its merger with Ultimate Software – seasonally adjusted shift work volume held firm at 0.5% growth for the second consecutive week, marking the seventh straight week of sub-1% seasonally adjusted shift growth. Non-seasonally adjusted shift growth achieved 0.9%.

According to the U.S. Workforce Activity Report for Aug. 24-30 from Kronos Incorporated – which will become UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) on Oct. 1 following its merger with Ultimate Software – non-seasonally adjusted shift work volume grew 0.9% week-over-week. However, when seasonally adjusted to account for the annual August surge in education sector activity, week-over-week shift growth was just 0.5%.

According to the U.S. Workforce Activity Report from Kronos Incorporated for Aug. 17-23, shift work volume grew 1.2% week-over-week – though 40% of that growth is directly attributed to K-12 and higher education activity as the fall semester continues to ramp up.

As fall rapidly approaches, organizations should pay extra attention to working parents and guardians: According to a survey from The Workforce Institute at Kronos Incorporated, nearly three-quarters (72%) of U.S. employees with children under 18 in the household are anxious about balancing the demands of their job with childcare – including school re-openings, virtual learning, and daycare capacity – in the coming months.

According to the U.S. Workforce Activity Report from Kronos Incorporated for Aug. 10-16, shift work volume grew 1.4% week-over-week – its largest single week increase since the week ending July 19 – resulting in more shifts worked last week than at any other point since the pandemic began.