January Labour Force: seasonality amplifies a weak underlying trend
Employment: +0.5k (from –62.7k). Unemployment Rate: 4.1% (from 3.9%). Participation Rate: 66.8% (unchanged).
January is the most seasonal time of the year for the labour market, and this year was no exception. As we had anticipated, the softening trend in labour market conditions that extended into the new year was amplified by shifting seasonal dynamics that have become increasingly apparent in the years since the pandemic. The ABS are not yet able to completely remove the influence of these dynamics in its seasonally adjusted estimates, so the results from this month’s survey should be read with caution.
In the media release, the ABS made note of two distinct dynamics which we expected to appear again. Firstly, with regards to hours worked, the ABS noted: “Compared with January surveys before the pandemic, we again saw a higher proportion of employed people working no hours because they were on leave.” This was associated with a 2.5% decline in seasonally adjusted hours worked in January 2024, similar to the 2.3% decline in January 2023.
Secondly, the ABS noted that the increase in the unemployment rate “coincided with a higher-than-usual number of people who were not employed but who said they will be starting or returning to work in the future.” This was similar to what was observed this time last year – in the presence of a tight labour market, individuals may seek more opportunities and look to change jobs (typically over holiday periods), leading to a larger-than-usual (and in the case of last year, temporary) increase in the unemployment rate.
Looking past the volatility associated with shifting seasonal patterns, the headline results were broadly as we had anticipated. Growth in employment flatlined in the month, rising just +0.5k to be up 0.4% on a three-month average basis, the softest pace since the ‘delta’ outbreak in 2021. At a time of rapid population growth, the employment-to-population ratio also continues to moderate, down 0.1ppt to 64.1% in January.
Given the flatness in employment growth, and with participation holding flat at 66.8%, the unemployment rate ticked higher from 3.9% to 4.1%, marking the first time the unemployment rate has been above 4.0% in two years. And, as discussed below, the majority of net employment growth has recently been from part-time work, and those working fewer hours are struggling to gain more, implying a very weak trend for aggregate hours worked.
Overall, the broader picture is of a labour market that is in transition, as softness begins to emerge after a period of historic tightness.
Hours Worked
The number of hours worked declined by 2.5% over the month of January. There were particularly large monthly falls in NSW (–4.1%), South Australia (–3.8%), Victoria (–3.4%), and Western Australia (–2.8%).
While the very weak monthly read in part reflects difficulty associated with adjusting original data for the evolving seasonal patterns, the underlying trend is unambiguously weak. Over the last six months, in annualised terms, hours worked have declined by 8.2%, the sharpest fall on record (going back to 1979) outside of the pandemic.
Employers are now clearly responding to the pull back in spending by adjusting the number of hours employees are required to work. With lower demand there is less need for overtime or extra shifts. This is consistent with the sharp falls we have seen in the average number of hours worked by both full time and part time employees. We have also seen a significant fall in the share of part time workers who are able to pick up extra hours and move to full time status (those working 35hrs/wk or more). This has seen the share of full-time employment fall from around 70.0% a year ago to 69.0% today, and trending toward the pre pandemic average of around 68.5%.
As the supply side of the economy continues to adjust from the pandemic and demand slows on the back of tighter macroeconomic policy, employers are likely to continue to pull back on demand for labour. Given how tight the labour market has been during this cycle, employers are understandably wary of letting people go. Instead, they are likely to make this adjustment through demanding fewer hours of their employees.
Other Labour Market Measures
Consistent with the sharp fall in the number of hours worked, other labour market indicators are pointing to a softening in conditions.
The underemployment rate, which measures the share of employed workers who are willing and able to work more hours, ticked up to 6.6% in January. Over 2023, the underemployment rate has drifted higher in trends terms, coinciding with the slide in the number of hours worked. The underutilisation rate, which combines the unemployment and underemployment rates, increased to 10.7% – highest rate since January 2022.
The youth unemployment rate, which measures the share of unemployed workers between the ages of 15 and 24, ticked lower to 9.4% from 9.5% last month. Some of this fall was driven by a lower participation rate (70.0% in January compared with 70.1% in December). Again, this could reflect difficulties associated with adjusting the data for evolving seasonal patterns. However, the trend is clear – the unemployment rate has moved higher since late 2022, with the participation rate also trending lower over this period. Being a highly sensitive group to changes in labour demand, this provides another signal that softness in labour demand is emerging.
Outlook
All-in-all, the results from the January survey were broadly consistent with our expectations. Shifting seasonal dynamics likely played a role in some of January’s weakness, and similar to last year, this may give way to something of a rebound with respect to employment and hours worked in February.
That said, the underlying tone of the data continues to speak to a softening labour market, predominately presenting through a notably weak trend for hours worked, slowing employment growth, and a gradually rising unemployment rate.
Looking ahead, as labour demand and supply continue to move into balance, tightness in the labour market will continue to fade. Given just how sharp the turnaround in hours worked has been over the past six months – as businesses respond to a weakening backdrop for domestic demand – there is increasingly limited scope for labour demand adjustment to come purely from hours worked alone. This will likely lead to weakness in employment growth and a further rise in the unemployment rate, to a forecast 4.5% by year-end.
For the RBA, today’s update provides further confirmation that the labour market is indeed easing. That said, in its February Statement on Monetary Policy, the RBA continued to assess the labour market as “tight relative to what is consistent with full employment”. More updates on the state of the labour market will be necessary before any material adjustment to that assessment occurs, especially given the seasonality associated with January’s figures.
Ryan Wells, Economist, ph (61–2) 9178 2063
Pat Bustamante, Senior Economist, ph (61) 468 571 786
Stay informed with Westpac IQ
Get the latest reports straight to your inbox.
Related articles
Browse topics
Disclaimer
©2025 Westpac Banking Corporation ABN 33 007 457 141 (including where acting under any of its Westpac, St George, Bank of Melbourne or BankSA brands, collectively, “Westpac”). References to the “Westpac Group” are to Westpac and its subsidiaries and includes the directors, employees and representatives of Westpac and its subsidiaries.
Things you should know
We respect your privacy: You can view our privacy statement at Westpac.com.au. Each time someone visits our site, data is captured so that we can accurately evaluate the quality of our content and make improvements for you. We may at times use technology to capture data about you to help us to better understand you and your needs, including potentially for the purposes of assessing your individual reading habits and interests to allow us to provide suggestions regarding other reading material which may be suitable for you.
This information, unless specifically indicated otherwise, is under copyright of the Westpac Group. None of the material, nor its contents, nor any copy of it, may be altered in any way, transmitted to, copied of distributed to any other party without the prior written permission of the Westpac Group.
Disclaimer
This information has been prepared by the Westpac and is intended for information purposes only. It is not intended to reflect any recommendation or financial advice and investment decisions should not be based on it. This information does not constitute an offer, a solicitation of an offer, or an inducement to subscribe for, purchase or sell any financial instrument or to enter into a legally binding contract. To the extent that this information contains any general advice, it has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs and before acting on it you should consider the appropriateness of the advice. Certain types of transactions, including those involving futures, options and high yield securities give rise to substantial risk and are not suitable for all investors. We recommend that you seek your own independent legal or financial advice before proceeding with any investment decision. This information may contain material provided by third parties. While such material is published with the necessary permission none of Westpac or its related entities accepts any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any such material. Although we have made every effort to ensure this information is free from error, none of Westpac or its related entities warrants the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of this information, or otherwise endorses it in any way. Except where contrary to law, Westpac Group intend by this notice to exclude liability for this information. This information is subject to change without notice and none of Westpac or its related entities is under any obligation to update this information or correct any inaccuracy which may become apparent at a later date. This information may contain or incorporate by reference forward-looking statements. The words “believe”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “predict”, “continue”, “assume”, “positioned”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “shall”, “risk” and other similar expressions that are predictions of or indicate future events and future trends identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include all matters that are not historical facts. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance, nor are forecasts of future performance. Whilst every effort has been taken to ensure that the assumptions on which any forecasts are based are reasonable, the forecasts may be affected by incorrect assumptions or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. The ultimate outcomes may differ substantially from any forecasts.
Conflicts of Interest: In the normal course of offering banking products and services to its clients, the Westpac Group may act in several capacities (including issuer, market maker, underwriter, distributor, swap counterparty and calculation agent) simultaneously with respect to a financial instrument, giving rise to potential conflicts of interest which may impact the performance of a financial instrument. The Westpac Group may at any time transact or hold a position (including hedging and trading positions) for its own account or the account of a client in any financial instrument which may impact the performance of that financial instrument.
Author(s) disclaimer and declaration: The author(s) confirms that (a) no part of his/her compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to any views or (if applicable) recommendations expressed in this material; (b) this material accurately reflects his/her personal views about the financial products, companies or issuers (if applicable) and is based on sources reasonably believed to be reliable and accurate; (c) to the best of the author’s knowledge, they are not in receipt of inside information and this material does not contain inside information; and (d) no other part of the Westpac Group has made any attempt to influence this material.
Further important information regarding sustainability-related content: This material may contain statements relating to environmental, social and governance (ESG) topics. These are subject to known and unknown risks, and there are significant uncertainties, limitations, risks and assumptions in the metrics, modelling, data, scenarios, reporting and analysis on which the statements rely. In particular, these areas are rapidly evolving and maturing, and there are variations in approaches and common standards and practice, as well as uncertainty around future related policy and legislation. Some material may include information derived from publicly available sources that have not been independently verified. No representation or warranty is made as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the information. There is a risk that the analysis, estimates, judgements, assumptions, views, models, scenarios or projections used may turn out to be incorrect. These risks may cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied. The ESG-related statements in this material do not constitute advice, nor are they guarantees or predictions of future performance, and Westpac gives no representation, warranty or assurance (including as to the quality, accuracy or completeness of the statements). You should seek your own independent advice.
Additional country disclosures:
Australia: Westpac holds an Australian Financial Services Licence (No. 233714). You can access Westpac’s Financial Services Guide here or request a copy from your Westpac point of contact. To the extent that this information contains any general advice, it has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs and before acting on it you should consider the appropriateness of the advice.
New Zealand: In New Zealand, Westpac Institutional Bank refers to the brand under which products and services are provided by either Westpac (NZ division) or Westpac New Zealand Limited (company number 1763882), the New Zealand incorporated subsidiary of Westpac ("WNZL"). Any product or service made available by WNZL does not represent an offer from Westpac or any of its subsidiaries (other than WNZL). Neither Westpac nor its other subsidiaries guarantee or otherwise support the performance of WNZL in respect of any such product. WNZL is not an authorised deposit-taking institution for the purposes of Australian prudential standards. The current disclosure statements for the New Zealand branch of Westpac and WNZL can be obtained at the internet address www.westpac.co.nz .
Singapore: This material has been prepared and issued for distribution in Singapore to institutional investors, accredited investors and expert investors (as defined in the applicable Singapore laws and regulations) only. Recipients of this material in Singapore should contact Westpac Singapore Branch in respect of any matters arising from, or in connection with, this material. Westpac Singapore Branch holds a wholesale banking licence and is subject to supervision by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
U.S.: Westpac operates in the United States of America as a federally licensed branch, regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Westpac is also registered with the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) as a Swap Dealer, but is neither registered as, or affiliated with, a Futures Commission Merchant registered with the US CFTC. The services and products referenced above are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”). Westpac Capital Markets, LLC (‘WCM’), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Westpac, is a broker-dealer registered under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (‘the Exchange Act’) and member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (‘FINRA’). In accordance with APRA's Prudential Standard 222 'Association with Related Entities', Westpac does not stand behind WCM other than as provided for in certain legal agreements between Westpac and WCM andobligations of WCM do not represent liabilities of Westpac. This communication is provided for distribution to U.S. institutional investors in reliance on the exemption from registration provided by Rule 15a-6 under the Exchange Act and is not subject to all of the independence and disclosure standards applicable to debt research reports prepared for retail investors in the United States. WCM is the U.S. distributor of this communication and accepts responsibility for the contents of this communication. Transactions by U.S. customers of any securities referenced herein should be effected through WCM. All disclaimers set out with respect to Westpac apply equally to WCM. If you would like to speak to someone regarding any security mentioned herein, please contact WCM on +1 212 389 1269. Investing in any non-U.S. securities or related financial instruments mentioned in this communication may present certain risks. The securities of non-U.S. issuers may not be registered with, or be subject to the regulations of, the SEC in the United States. Information on such non-U.S. securities or related financial instruments may be limited. Non-U.S. companies may not be subject to audit and reporting standards and regulatory requirements comparable to those in effect in the United States. The value of any investment or income from any securities or related derivative instruments denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars is subject to exchange rate fluctuations that may have a positive or adverse effect on the value of or income from such securities or related derivative instruments.
The author of this communication is employed by Westpac and is not registered or qualified as a research analyst, representative, or associated person of WCM or any other U.S. broker-dealer under the rules of FINRA, any other U.S. self-regulatory organisation, or the laws, rules or regulations of any State. Unless otherwise specifically stated, the views expressed herein are solely those of the author and may differ from the information, views or analysis expressed by Westpac and/or its affiliates.
UK and EU: The London branch of Westpac is authorised in the United Kingdom by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and is subject to regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and limited regulation by the PRA (Financial Services Register number: 124586). The London branch of Westpac is registered at Companies House as a branch established in the United Kingdom (Branch No. BR000106). Details about the extent of the regulation of Westpac’s London branch by the PRA are available from us on request.
Westpac Europe GmbH (“WEG”) is authorised in Germany by the Federal Financial Supervision Authority (‘BaFin’) and subject to its regulation. WEG’s supervisory authorities are BaFin and the German Federal Bank (‘Deutsche Bundesbank’). WEG is registered with the commercial register (‘Handelsregister’) of the local court of Frankfurt am Main under registration number HRB 118483. In accordance with APRA’s Prudential Standard 222 ‘Association with Related Entities’, Westpac does not stand behind WEG other than as provided for in certain legal agreements (a risk transfer, sub-participation and collateral agreement) between Westpac and WEG and obligations of WEG do not represent liabilities of Westpac.
This communication is not intended for distribution to, or use by any person or entity in any jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use would be contrary to local law or regulation. This communication is not being made to or distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. Rather, this communication is being made only to and is directed at (a) those persons falling within the definition of Investment Professionals (set out in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”)); (b) those persons falling within the definition of high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc. (set out in Article 49(2)of the Order; (c) other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated in accordance with the Order or (d) any persons to whom it may otherwise lawfully be made (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”). Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this communication or any of its contents. In the same way, the information contained in this communication is intended for “eligible counterparties” and “professional clients” as defined by the rules of the Financial Conduct Authority and is not intended for “retail clients”. Westpac expressly prohibits you from passing on the information in this communication to any third party.
This communication contains general commentary, research, and market colour. The communication does not constitute investment advice. The material may contain an ‘investment recommendation’ and/or ‘information recommending or suggesting an investment’, both as defined in Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (including as applicable in the United Kingdom) (“MAR”). In accordance with the relevant provisions of MAR, reasonable care has been taken to ensure that the material has been objectively presented and that interests or conflicts of interest of the sender concerning the financial instruments to which that information relates have been disclosed.
Investment recommendations must be read alongside the specific disclosure which accompanies them and the general disclosure which can be found here. Such disclosure fulfils certain additional information requirements of MAR and associated delegated legislation and by accepting this communication you acknowledge that you are aware of the existence of such additional disclosure and its contents.
To the extent this communication comprises an investment recommendation it is classified as non-independent research. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and therefore constitutes a marketing communication. Further, this communication is not subject to any prohibition on dealing ahead of the dissemination of investment research.