Here is the most recent Retail & Consumer job report as of Dec 20, 2025…
The ADP National Employment Report for November 2025 showed a surprise contraction in private-sector employment, with U.S. private employers shedding 32,000 jobs in November, marking one of the weakest readings in the labor market in recent years. Job creation has been essentially flat during the second half of 2025, underlining a slowing labor market amid broader economic uncertainty and cautious consumer demand. Wage growth continues but is slowing, with job-stayers seeing a +4.4% YoY wage increase and job-changers seeing a +6.3% YoY increase. These trends reflect persistent wage resilience but weaker hiring momentum across many sectors.
Industry-Specific Insights (Retail & Consumer Sectors)
1. Leisure and Hospitality (+13,000 jobs)
Leisure & Hospitality was one of the few sectors that reported job growth in November, adding approximately 13,000 net new positions as establishments prepare for the holiday season. This includes travel, hotels, and hospitality services, suggesting that consumer spending on leisure activities continues to support employment despite broader weakness.
2. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+1,000 jobs)
The Trade, Transportation, and Utilities segment saw modest growth, adding about 1,000 jobs. This category captures distribution, logistics, and utility services. The marginal gain points to continued demand for transportation and logistics roles, albeit at a tepid pace as goods consumption growth softens.
3. Manufacturing (-18,000 jobs)
Manufacturing experienced a significant downturn, with an estimated 18,000 net job losses, reflecting weakening orders and production across goods sectors, including Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) supply chains. This contraction underscores the broader challenges in manufacturing employment as demand softens.
4. Retail (Part of Trade Segment)
Retail employment, included within the broader Trade category, shows restrained job growth consistent with softer consumer spending. While precise retail & grocery numbers aren’t individually disclosed in the ADP release, overall Trade gains of ~1,000 jobs imply a relatively flat retail labor trend heading into the holiday period.
5. Food Service (Leisure & Hospitality)
Food service, including restaurants and bars, contributed to the Leisure and Hospitality gains. Employment in this subsegment continues to expand, though not robustly, as consumer dining out remains resilient even amid broader economic caution.
Job Creation by Business Size
1. Mid-Sized Businesses (50–249 employees): +31,000 jobs
Mid-sized firms were a key source of net job growth in November, adding ~31,000 positions. These businesses—covering mid-tier retailers, logistics operators, hospitality chains, and regional service providers—continue to show hiring where demand is stable.
2. Small Businesses (<50 employees): -120,000 jobs
Small employers saw sharp job declines, shedding around 120,000 jobs, indicating significant pullback among local service providers, independent retailers, and boutique hospitality and food service establishments. Small business performance is a major driver of the overall employment contraction.
3. Large Businesses (>500 employees): +39,000 jobs
Large enterprises added approximately 39,000 net new jobs, highlighting relative strength among major retail chains, large logistics and distribution hubs, and national hospitality brands. These firms appear better positioned to manage through slowing demand.
Wage Trends
1. Job-Stayers: +4.4% YoY wage increase
Wages for employees who stayed in their jobs grew by 4.4% year-over-year, showing continued wage resilience even as overall job creation slows. Sectors with persistent labor demand—like hospitality and logistics—contribute to this baseline wage growth.
2. Job-Changers: +6.3% YoY wage increase
Employees who changed jobs saw median pay increases of approximately 6.3% YoY, reflecting employers’ ongoing willingness to offer premium compensation to attract talent, particularly in retail, food service, and distribution roles where turnover has historically been higher.
Regional Employment Notes
The ADP report does not highlight specific regional breakdowns for November 2025 on the public portal. Should future reports reveal significant regional discrepancies in hiring trends—such as notable job creation or contraction in specific census regions—this section will be updated.
Clarifying the Math: Net Growth Context
The term “net” in this employment summary refers to the total change in jobs after adding gains and subtracting losses within each industry or category. For instance, even though Leisure & Hospitality added 13,000 jobs, the overall private-sector net change was -32,000 jobs because larger layoffs occurred in other sectors like manufacturing, information, and professional services. Similarly, job gains by mid-sized and large firms were outweighed by substantial job losses among small businesses. This net framing captures aggregate shifts in employment rather than isolated increases or decreases.
This article was initiated using AI technology provided by Apple and OpenAI.
