Helpwantedindex

Key Takeaways

• The Help-Wanted Index (HWI) measures how effectively jobs are matched to the available workforce.
• Created in 1951, the HWI tracks changes in employment demand via classified newspaper ads.
• A rising HWI indicates more job vacancies, which can lead to wage inflation.
• The HWI was restructured to a base of 100 in 1987 and is updated monthly.
• The Conference Board, which produces the HWI, includes leaders from major global corporations.
• Get personalized, AI-powered answers built on 27+ years of trusted expertise.

What Is the Help-Wanted Index?

The Conference Board's Help-Wanted Index (HWI) measures how efficiently employers match jobs to the available workforce, which makes it a useful gauge of labor demand and job-market slack. Rising readings can point to worker shortages that push wages higher, which can affect bond and equity markets. The index began in 1951, was restructured to a 1987 base, and provides U.S. national and regional data.11

How the Help-Wanted Index (HWI) Reflects the Job Market

When the Help-Wanted Index (HWI) is rising, it means there are a relatively large amount of positions needing to be filled. This can be interpreted as a shortage of workers. Because employers may have to raise wages to attract workers, wage inflation could ensue, which could have a negative effect on bond and equity markets.

Created first in 1951, the index totaled the lines of help-wanted classified ads from 51 leading newspapers, each from a different metropolitan statistical area around the United States.1

The HWI was restructured to equal 100 in 1987 and is released to the public in a monthly press release. The Conference Board releases a national number for the HWI, along with regional numbers representing nine segments of the country, and a percentage number representing the proportion of the labor market with rising want-ad volume. The current HWI report can be found on the Conference Board's website.

The Conference Board is composed of a board of chairmen and trustees and its voting members. Most recently, these positions were filled by many high-ranking executives from corporations including Deutsche Bank, BBVA, Deere & Company, Johnson & Johnson, Monsanto, MasterCard, General Electric, Novartis, and State Farm Insurance.