The Monster Workforce Index is a monthly measure of U.S. labor market conditions developed by Monster. The index combines multiple workforce indicators into a single standardized score centered on a historical benchmark of 100.
The Monster Workforce Index measured 101.1 in June 2026, an increase of 3.2 points from May’s reading of 97.9. The June reading places the national Workforce Index in the Healthy range, indicating labor market conditions.
June’s rebound suggests hiring conditions improved after May’s softer reading, but industry-level differences are important. A stronger national score doesn’t mean every sector is experiencing the same level of demand, candidate availability or hiring pressure.
June at a Glance
Notable Changes
Compared with May 2026:
- The national Workforce Index increased 3.2 points.
- Wholesale remained the highest-scoring industry.
- Retail remained the lowest-scoring industry.
- Financial Services recorded the largest month-over-month increase (+5.7).
- Administrative & Support Services recorded the largest month-over-month decline (-4.4).
Industry Highlights
Industry performance remained mixed during June. Wholesale recorded the highest Workforce Index score (108.5), followed by Oil, Gas & Mining (107.0) and Construction (105.2). Retail remained the lowest-scoring industry (90.7), followed by Administrative & Support Services (91.3) and Entertainment Providers (92.3). Financial Services recorded the largest month-over-month increase (+5.7), while Administrative & Support Services experienced the largest decline, falling 4.4 points.
The spread between industries shows that labor market strength is uneven, which may affect where employers need to compete harder for talent or adjust hiring expectations.
Using the Index to Guide Your Hiring Strategy
The Monster Workforce Index is designed to help employers understand whether labor market conditions are strengthening, stabilizing, or cooling relative to a historical benchmark.
A national score can provide a useful snapshot, but the industry-level scores are especially important for workforce planning. Employers should use the index to compare hiring conditions by sector, monitor month-over-month movement, and identify where recruiting pressure may be rising or easing.
The most useful takeaway for hiring teams is not whether the market is just “good” or “bad.” It’s where conditions are changing, which industries are moving differently from the national trend, and how those shifts may affect recruiting strategy.
About The Monster Workforce Index
The Monster Workforce Index is a monthly measure of U.S. labor market conditions developed by Monster. The index is updated monthly and combines proprietary Monster marketplace data with selected public labor market indicators into a single standardized score centered on a historical benchmark of 100.
Score Interpretation:
- Above 110: Strong
- 100-110: Health
- 90-99.9: Stable
- Below 90: Cooling
The national index incorporates seven labor market indicators:
- Hiring speed, or the average time required to fill job postings
- Median compensation, based on median advertised salary
- Multiple jobholding rate, or the percentage of workers holding more than one job
- Net job postings, reflecting overall employer hiring demand
- Part-time hiring ratio, comparing part-time job postings relative to full-time postings
- Resume-to-posting ratio, reflecting candidate supply relative to available jobs
- Unemployment rate
Individual measures are standardized and combined into a composite index to provide a monthly snapshot of how labor market conditions are shifting relative to the historical benchmark.