Productivity and Costs by Industry: Selected Service-Providing Industries News Release — 2020-05-28

Labor productivity rose in 14 of 29 selected service-providing industries in 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This was one-third fewer industries compared to 2018 when labor productivity increased in 21 of 29 industries. Output increased in 17 industries in 2019 while hours worked increased in 18 industries. � Labor productivity increased in 14 of 29 industries in 2019. Among those with increasing productivity, output grew in 9 industries and hours worked grew in 5 industries. � Productivity gains of at least 6.0 percent occurred in 2 industries: wireless telecommunications carriers (13.2 percent) and gambling industries (8.8 percent). In both industries, output increases coincided with declines in hours worked. � Hours worked grew in 18 of the 29 industries. � Hours worked increased in 13 out of the 15 industries which recorded declines in productivity.