Beeline Releases Analysis of December 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Jobs Data: Work Is Being Reallocated--Not Disappearing--as Payroll Hiring Slows
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report points to cooling payroll growth, new data from Beeline suggests the labor market is undergoing a more fundamental shift. Work is not slowing at the same pace as traditional employment. Instead, it is being redistributed across more flexible, non-payroll labor models.
Beeline's analysis of global extended workforce activity across December and full-year FY2025 shows sustained growth in hours worked, active assignments, and spend for contingent and project-based talent. The data indicates that companies are continuing to deploy labor, but doing so in ways that do not register cleanly in headline employment figures.
Extended Workforce Activity Remains Resilient
Beeline's December data points to steady labor demand entering 2026:
- Hours billed by extended workforce increased 2% year over year, with early January data opening positively.
- Active contingent assignments remained elevated, up 2–2.5% throughout the month.
- Contingent assignment extensions rose 3% YoY, while early terminations held flat—signaling greater demand stability.
- Contingent starts exceeded ends by more than 2,000 assignments, reflecting net expansion in work activity.
- 46 countries recorded contingent assignment growth, led by the United States.
- Global extended workforce spend increased 6.2% year over year in December.
FY2025 Marked a Shift in Labor Deployment
Viewed across the full fiscal year, Beeline data shows a clear inflection in how organizations sourced contingent labor in the second half of FY2025:
- Same-store hours moved into positive territory in H2 and remained in a +2–6% YoY range through year-end.
- Contingent assignments turned positive in late Q3 and grew steadily at +2–3%.
- Contingent spend was positive in all but one month, finishing FY2025 up 7.4% overall.
- U.S. contingent assignments rose 5.6% from 2024 to 2025, outpacing growth in traditional payroll employment.
Why This Matters for Talent Supply and Labor Participation
For businesses, the shift reflects a strategic response to ongoing uncertainty: persistent cost pressure, uneven demand, rapid technology change, and the need for specialized skills. Rather than committing to permanent headcount, companies are increasingly accessing talent through shorter-term, skills-driven engagements.
For workers, the implication is that labor participation is increasingly occurring outside the bounds of traditional employment. Opportunity is showing up as assignments, projects, and repeat engagements rather than permanent roles. While these arrangements may not be captured in payroll statistics, they represent active participation in the economy and a growing share of how income is generated.
"The labor market isn't simply cooling, it's fragmenting," said Doug Leeby, CEO of Beeline. "Companies are continuing to invest in work, but they're doing so in ways that better match changing business needs and skill demands. What our data shows is not a retreat from work, but a redistribution of it. For businesses, that means greater agility. For workers, it means that participation in the labor market increasingly takes forms that fall outside traditional payroll counts."
A Broader Signal Beneath the Jobs Data
Despite continued focus on slower job creation, Beeline's data points to steady underlying labor activity: rising assignment stability, increased extensions, positive net starts, and geographically broad growth. For business leaders and investors, the message is clear, headline employment figures capture only part of today's labor market dynamics. Increasingly, work is being done through models that prioritize flexibility, speed, and skills over permanent headcount.
About Beeline
For over 20 years, Beeline has empowered businesses worldwide to achieve competitive advantages with their extended workforce. The Beeline Extended Workforce Platform provides the visibility necessary to mitigate risks, realize cost savings, and adapt to dynamic business needs. With tailored solutions focused on the complexities of the extended workforce, clients can leverage Beeline products that meet their unique requirements. Through thousands of integrations, organizations can connect their extended workforce data across all technology stacks, including major procurement and HR systems. Explore more at beeline.com.
Media Contact:
Casey Bush for Beeline
SOURCE Beeline
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