About this episode

Phillip Sprehe discusses labor market forecasts and insights into the U.S. workforce in 2026.

In this episode, we are joined by Phillip Sprehe, Lead Economist at Geographic Solutions, for a focused conversation on how labor market forecasts are built and what the data reveals about the U.S. workforce in early 2026. Phillip pulls back the curtain on the Economist Corner, explaining how internal indicators, unemployment claims data, and real-world adjustments shape monthly forecasts ahead of the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. The discussion explores a softening labor market, sector-level performance, rising concerns about chronic unemployment, and the growing role of AI in both hiring and productivity, offering practical takeaways for workforce boards, analysts, and economic development professionals navigating an increasingly complex labor landscape.

People in this episode

Guest: Phillip Sprehe

Topics covered

• labor market forecasts
• U.S. workforce
• unemployment claims
• chronic unemployment
• AI in hiring
• economic development

Keywords

• labor market
• forecasts
• unemployment
• AI
• workforce
• economic development
• data analysis

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Geographic Solutions, Bureau of Labor Statistics

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