Daniel Zhao
@danielzhao.bsky.social
Glassdoor Chief Economist
glassdoor.com/research
I post charts about the job market and workplace trends
Formerly known as @DanielBZhao on Twitter
Maryland born & raised, now in NYC
glassdoor.com/research
I post charts about the job market and workplace trends
Formerly known as @DanielBZhao on Twitter
Maryland born & raised, now in NYC
Reposted by Daniel Zhao
Ah ha, I see the folks at FT Alphaville are also wondering if the scale of the AI investment boom has been overstated. By their preferred metric, it's real but modest - comparable to the investment boost from ARPA/CHIPS under Biden, or to the mid-2010s shale boom. www.ft.com/content/918f...
February 10, 2026 at 7:29 PM
Ah ha, I see the folks at FT Alphaville are also wondering if the scale of the AI investment boom has been overstated. By their preferred metric, it's real but modest - comparable to the investment boost from ARPA/CHIPS under Biden, or to the mid-2010s shale boom. www.ft.com/content/918f...
Reposted by Daniel Zhao
The Employment Cost Index shows continued deceleration in compensation growth in Q4. All metrics of wage growth are slowing even as inflation has gotten stuck confirming that labor demand < greatly reduced labor supply
February 10, 2026 at 1:58 PM
The Employment Cost Index shows continued deceleration in compensation growth in Q4. All metrics of wage growth are slowing even as inflation has gotten stuck confirming that labor demand < greatly reduced labor supply
Reposted by Daniel Zhao
This finding is a few years old now but relevant again after Bad Bunny's all-Spanish Super Bowl performance:
In 2024, only around half of White Trump supporters (48%) said they were comfortable with people speaking a language other than English in public: www.pewresearch.org/politics/202...
In 2024, only around half of White Trump supporters (48%) said they were comfortable with people speaking a language other than English in public: www.pewresearch.org/politics/202...
February 9, 2026 at 9:38 PM
This finding is a few years old now but relevant again after Bad Bunny's all-Spanish Super Bowl performance:
In 2024, only around half of White Trump supporters (48%) said they were comfortable with people speaking a language other than English in public: www.pewresearch.org/politics/202...
In 2024, only around half of White Trump supporters (48%) said they were comfortable with people speaking a language other than English in public: www.pewresearch.org/politics/202...
Reposted by Daniel Zhao
Super Bowl halftime producer: Now that you’ve signed your extensive NDA, you are ready for your incredible role in our show.
Me: I can’t wait. I’ve danced to Bad Bunny my whole life.
Producer: Great, you’re gonna be grass
Me: What
Director: Shut up nerd and put the grass suit on
Me: I can’t wait. I’ve danced to Bad Bunny my whole life.
Producer: Great, you’re gonna be grass
Me: What
Director: Shut up nerd and put the grass suit on
February 9, 2026 at 7:56 PM
Super Bowl halftime producer: Now that you’ve signed your extensive NDA, you are ready for your incredible role in our show.
Me: I can’t wait. I’ve danced to Bad Bunny my whole life.
Producer: Great, you’re gonna be grass
Me: What
Director: Shut up nerd and put the grass suit on
Me: I can’t wait. I’ve danced to Bad Bunny my whole life.
Producer: Great, you’re gonna be grass
Me: What
Director: Shut up nerd and put the grass suit on
Reposted by Daniel Zhao
Bad Bunny “together we are America”
February 9, 2026 at 1:35 AM
Bad Bunny “together we are America”
Reposted by Daniel Zhao
Fellow puzzle lovers: In honor of the Super Bowl I made a little football-themed crossword with my friend @robdubbin.bsky.social for @puzzmo.com.
You can play for free today:
www.puzzmo.com/puzzle/2026-...
You can play for free today:
www.puzzmo.com/puzzle/2026-...
February 8, 2026 at 3:49 PM
Fellow puzzle lovers: In honor of the Super Bowl I made a little football-themed crossword with my friend @robdubbin.bsky.social for @puzzmo.com.
You can play for free today:
www.puzzmo.com/puzzle/2026-...
You can play for free today:
www.puzzmo.com/puzzle/2026-...
The above is written up in our January 2026 update of the Glassdoor Employe Confidence Index, which can be found on our blog here:
www.glassdoor.com/blog/glassdo...
3/3
www.glassdoor.com/blog/glassdo...
3/3
Glassdoor Employee Confidence Index: Soft start to 2026 - Glassdoor US
www.glassdoor.com
February 6, 2026 at 5:06 PM
The above is written up in our January 2026 update of the Glassdoor Employe Confidence Index, which can be found on our blog here:
www.glassdoor.com/blog/glassdo...
3/3
www.glassdoor.com/blog/glassdo...
3/3
And in lieu of today's jobs report, a few Glassdoor data points for January:
-Layoff mentions in reviews are flat MoM, but up 14% YoY
-Base pay fell 0.6% MoM w/ YoY growth decelerating to 3.3%
-20% of offers received in Jan were declined, down from 26% last yr
2/
-Layoff mentions in reviews are flat MoM, but up 14% YoY
-Base pay fell 0.6% MoM w/ YoY growth decelerating to 3.3%
-20% of offers received in Jan were declined, down from 26% last yr
2/
February 6, 2026 at 5:05 PM
And in lieu of today's jobs report, a few Glassdoor data points for January:
-Layoff mentions in reviews are flat MoM, but up 14% YoY
-Base pay fell 0.6% MoM w/ YoY growth decelerating to 3.3%
-20% of offers received in Jan were declined, down from 26% last yr
2/
-Layoff mentions in reviews are flat MoM, but up 14% YoY
-Base pay fell 0.6% MoM w/ YoY growth decelerating to 3.3%
-20% of offers received in Jan were declined, down from 26% last yr
2/
Employee sentiment ticked down to kick off 2026. In the Glassdoor Employee Confidence Index, 45.9% of employees reported a positive business outlook for their employers in Jan, down from 46.3% in Dec.
Sentiment is ironically almost unchanged from a year ago (45.8%).
1/
Sentiment is ironically almost unchanged from a year ago (45.8%).
1/
February 6, 2026 at 5:05 PM
Employee sentiment ticked down to kick off 2026. In the Glassdoor Employee Confidence Index, 45.9% of employees reported a positive business outlook for their employers in Jan, down from 46.3% in Dec.
Sentiment is ironically almost unchanged from a year ago (45.8%).
1/
Sentiment is ironically almost unchanged from a year ago (45.8%).
1/
Amazon (#$AMZN) employee count ended 2025 at 1,576,000, down marginally vs. 1,578,000 in Q3 and up just 1% vs. last year.
This all despite 14,000 laid off in Oct '25 and another 16,000 in Jan '26.
*Obviously, Amazon's headcount is mostly frontline workers rather than corporate workers.
This all despite 14,000 laid off in Oct '25 and another 16,000 in Jan '26.
*Obviously, Amazon's headcount is mostly frontline workers rather than corporate workers.
February 5, 2026 at 10:15 PM
Amazon (#$AMZN) employee count ended 2025 at 1,576,000, down marginally vs. 1,578,000 in Q3 and up just 1% vs. last year.
This all despite 14,000 laid off in Oct '25 and another 16,000 in Jan '26.
*Obviously, Amazon's headcount is mostly frontline workers rather than corporate workers.
This all despite 14,000 laid off in Oct '25 and another 16,000 in Jan '26.
*Obviously, Amazon's headcount is mostly frontline workers rather than corporate workers.
Bank of America Institute Employment Report is more optimistic for January 2026:
-Payroll employment +0.8% YoY, highest in several months
-Their UI payments data is tracking a little higher than continuing claims, but also improved in Jan
institute.bankofamerica.com/content/dam/...
-Payroll employment +0.8% YoY, highest in several months
-Their UI payments data is tracking a little higher than continuing claims, but also improved in Jan
institute.bankofamerica.com/content/dam/...
February 5, 2026 at 4:18 PM
Bank of America Institute Employment Report is more optimistic for January 2026:
-Payroll employment +0.8% YoY, highest in several months
-Their UI payments data is tracking a little higher than continuing claims, but also improved in Jan
institute.bankofamerica.com/content/dam/...
-Payroll employment +0.8% YoY, highest in several months
-Their UI payments data is tracking a little higher than continuing claims, but also improved in Jan
institute.bankofamerica.com/content/dam/...
I totally borked my charting code so need to go fix that, but overall:
The drop in job openings is attention-grabbing but not necessarily more of a red flag than the sluggish hires and quits that workers have already been grappling with since mid-2024.
6/6
The drop in job openings is attention-grabbing but not necessarily more of a red flag than the sluggish hires and quits that workers have already been grappling with since mid-2024.
6/6
February 5, 2026 at 3:41 PM
I totally borked my charting code so need to go fix that, but overall:
The drop in job openings is attention-grabbing but not necessarily more of a red flag than the sluggish hires and quits that workers have already been grappling with since mid-2024.
6/6
The drop in job openings is attention-grabbing but not necessarily more of a red flag than the sluggish hires and quits that workers have already been grappling with since mid-2024.
6/6
Job openings in health care & social assistance fell to 1,249,000, which is just about in line with the pre-Covid peak. Health care job openings have come down substantially. Demand for HC workers is normalizing after several yrs of extremely high demand
5/
5/
February 5, 2026 at 3:39 PM
Job openings in health care & social assistance fell to 1,249,000, which is just about in line with the pre-Covid peak. Health care job openings have come down substantially. Demand for HC workers is normalizing after several yrs of extremely high demand
5/
5/
Layoffs were up marginally in Dec, rising to 1,762,000. Not a substantial increase for a volatile data point month-to-month, however, layoffs are close to where they were pre-Covid.
Better than constant drip of layoff headlines would suggest, but not as good as last few years.
4/
Better than constant drip of layoff headlines would suggest, but not as good as last few years.
4/
February 5, 2026 at 3:32 PM
Layoffs were up marginally in Dec, rising to 1,762,000. Not a substantial increase for a volatile data point month-to-month, however, layoffs are close to where they were pre-Covid.
Better than constant drip of layoff headlines would suggest, but not as good as last few years.
4/
Better than constant drip of layoff headlines would suggest, but not as good as last few years.
4/
Hires rate ticked up slightly to 3.3% in Dec 2025, though it remains lower than year ago and sluggish overall (comparable to levels from 2013).
Quits were flat at 2%. Despite bouncing around, quits are largely flat vs. a year ago. Quits are a little better than hires, but still remain sluggish.
3/
Quits were flat at 2%. Despite bouncing around, quits are largely flat vs. a year ago. Quits are a little better than hires, but still remain sluggish.
3/
February 5, 2026 at 3:29 PM
Hires rate ticked up slightly to 3.3% in Dec 2025, though it remains lower than year ago and sluggish overall (comparable to levels from 2013).
Quits were flat at 2%. Despite bouncing around, quits are largely flat vs. a year ago. Quits are a little better than hires, but still remain sluggish.
3/
Quits were flat at 2%. Despite bouncing around, quits are largely flat vs. a year ago. Quits are a little better than hires, but still remain sluggish.
3/
Job openings dropped to 6,542,000, lowest level since September 2020.
Openings are a volatile series so take with a grain of salt. But this brings openings more in line with hires and quits that have been more sluggish over the last 2 years.
2/
Openings are a volatile series so take with a grain of salt. But this brings openings more in line with hires and quits that have been more sluggish over the last 2 years.
2/
February 5, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Job openings dropped to 6,542,000, lowest level since September 2020.
Openings are a volatile series so take with a grain of salt. But this brings openings more in line with hires and quits that have been more sluggish over the last 2 years.
2/
Openings are a volatile series so take with a grain of salt. But this brings openings more in line with hires and quits that have been more sluggish over the last 2 years.
2/
#JOLTS Dec report:
-Hires rate 3.3%, up from 3.2% in Nov
-Quits rate flat at 2%
-Openings drop sharply to 6.5m, from 6.9m in Nov
-Layoffs up marginally to 1.76m, from 1.7m in Nov
Mixed data but imo, the stable hires/quits is higher signal than the sharp drop in the volatile openings series
1/
-Hires rate 3.3%, up from 3.2% in Nov
-Quits rate flat at 2%
-Openings drop sharply to 6.5m, from 6.9m in Nov
-Layoffs up marginally to 1.76m, from 1.7m in Nov
Mixed data but imo, the stable hires/quits is higher signal than the sharp drop in the volatile openings series
1/
February 5, 2026 at 3:09 PM
#JOLTS Dec report:
-Hires rate 3.3%, up from 3.2% in Nov
-Quits rate flat at 2%
-Openings drop sharply to 6.5m, from 6.9m in Nov
-Layoffs up marginally to 1.76m, from 1.7m in Nov
Mixed data but imo, the stable hires/quits is higher signal than the sharp drop in the volatile openings series
1/
-Hires rate 3.3%, up from 3.2% in Nov
-Quits rate flat at 2%
-Openings drop sharply to 6.5m, from 6.9m in Nov
-Layoffs up marginally to 1.76m, from 1.7m in Nov
Mixed data but imo, the stable hires/quits is higher signal than the sharp drop in the volatile openings series
1/
Initial unemployment insurance claims rose to 231,000 from 209,000 last week. Continuing claims rose to 1,844,000 from 1,819,000. Modest increase but not an alarming sign of compared to how claims are tracking vs. the same time last year.
February 5, 2026 at 1:32 PM
Initial unemployment insurance claims rose to 231,000 from 209,000 last week. Continuing claims rose to 1,844,000 from 1,819,000. Modest increase but not an alarming sign of compared to how claims are tracking vs. the same time last year.
Reposted by Daniel Zhao
The Future of Media is a $250 million national newspaper devoted solely to the debate over cooking at home vs delivery.
February 5, 2026 at 12:27 AM
The Future of Media is a $250 million national newspaper devoted solely to the debate over cooking at home vs delivery.
-Dec JOLTS rescheduled to tmrw Thu Feb 5 10 AM ET
-Jan jobs report rescheduled to Wed Feb 11 830 AM
-Jan CPI rescheduled to Fri Feb 13 830 AM
www.bls.gov/bls/2025-lap...
-Jan jobs report rescheduled to Wed Feb 11 830 AM
-Jan CPI rescheduled to Fri Feb 13 830 AM
www.bls.gov/bls/2025-lap...
February 4, 2026 at 6:02 PM
-Dec JOLTS rescheduled to tmrw Thu Feb 5 10 AM ET
-Jan jobs report rescheduled to Wed Feb 11 830 AM
-Jan CPI rescheduled to Fri Feb 13 830 AM
www.bls.gov/bls/2025-lap...
-Jan jobs report rescheduled to Wed Feb 11 830 AM
-Jan CPI rescheduled to Fri Feb 13 830 AM
www.bls.gov/bls/2025-lap...
Reposted by Daniel Zhao
Also, get ready for "Doritos Protein" 😭
February 3, 2026 at 8:26 PM
Also, get ready for "Doritos Protein" 😭
Reposted by Daniel Zhao
PepsiCo was the poster child during the pandemic-era inflation spike of "price over volume" or what many called "excuseflation," as the company cranked up prices on drinks and snacks. Now they appear to be going in reverse cause people won't pay (from @deeanndurbin_ap):
apnews.com/article/peps...
apnews.com/article/peps...
February 3, 2026 at 8:23 PM
PepsiCo was the poster child during the pandemic-era inflation spike of "price over volume" or what many called "excuseflation," as the company cranked up prices on drinks and snacks. Now they appear to be going in reverse cause people won't pay (from @deeanndurbin_ap):
apnews.com/article/peps...
apnews.com/article/peps...