Economic headlines influence workforce decisions every day, yet many of the most cited labor and economic indicators are being heavily influenced by unprecedented policy shifts, demographic changes, and post-pandemic dynamics. This session will look beyond the headline numbers to examine what the data is actually indicating about the U.S. economy and labor market.

The discussion will focus on trends in productivity, inflation, wages, employment, demographics, and artificial intelligence to explore where job growth is really coming from, why certain labor signals can appear misleading, and how structural forces such as immigration, population changes, and policy shifts are reshaping the employment landscape.

The discussion will provide a macroeconomic lens that can help Total Rewards and workforce leaders better pressure test pay strategies, hiring plans, and investment decisions for the year ahead.