In 2025, there were estimated to be approximately 3.6 billion people employed worldwide, compared to 2.23 billion people in 1991 - an increase of around 1.4 billion people. There was a noticeable fall in global employment between 2019 and 2020, when the number of employed people fell from due to the sudden economic shock caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Formal vs. Informal employment globally Worldwide, there is a large gap between the informally and formally employed. Most informally employed workers reside in the Global South, especially Africa and Southeast Asia. Moreover, men are slightly more likely to be informally employed than women. The majority of informal work, nearly 90 percent, is within the agricultural sector, with domestic work and construction following behind. Women’s employment As the number of employees has risen globally, so has the number of employed women. Overall, care roles such as nursing and midwifery have the highest shares of female employees globally. Moreover, while the gender pay gap has shrunk over time, it still exists. As of 2024, the uncontrolled gender pay gap was 0.83, meaning women made, on average, 83 cents per every dollar earned by men.

From 2000 to 2024, the global employment-to-population ratio decreased steadily, with a significant drop in 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic. The ratio was estimated to reach 57.8 percent in 2025. North America was the region with the highest employment-to-population ratio worldwide in 2023.

Since 2000, the estimated global employment-to-population ratio decreased more among youth between 15 and 24 years than among the rest of the adult population. Among the former group, the employment rate fell from ** percent in 2000 to an estimated ** percent by 2025, likely explained by an increasing number of young adults going into higher education. The estimated global employment rate in 2025 was ** percent.

International comparisons of employment, unemployment and economic inactivity, published monthly. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Global Employment Services market size is expected to reach $3237.5 billion by 2029 at 10.7%, segmented as by type, employment placement agencies, executive search services, temporary help services, professional employer organizations

Seventy percent of the global workforce will be shared equally by Generation X and Generation Y by 2020, with forecasts suggesting that Generation Z will make up nearly a ******* of the workforce as they start to enter adulthood. Employment rates in industrialized countries In member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), employment rates range between ** and ** percent of the working age population. Northern European countries such as Iceland, Sweden, and Denmark have some of the highest employment rates, along with New Zealand and Japan. Italy, Greece, and Turkey had the lowest employment rates in OECD countries. The staffing industry Recruitment firms are now well-established in many industrialized countries. The global staffing industry was estimated to have revenues of *** billion U.S. dollars in 2017, with firms from the United States generating a ** percent share of that figure. Firms from Japan also held a significant market share and this highlights the growth in the staffing industry across Asia, with the Chinese market expecting revenues to increase by around ** percent in 2019.

TD: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15-24 data was reported at 37.920 % in 2018. TD: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 37.920 % from Dec 2018 (Median) to 2018, with 1 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 37.920 % in 2018 and a record low of 37.920 % in 2018. TD: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Chad – Table TD.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed. Employment is defined as persons of working age who, during a short reference period, were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period (i.e. who worked in a job for at least one hour) or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangements. Ages 15-24 are generally considered the youth population.;International Labour Organization. “Labour Force Statistics database (LFS)” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;The series for ILO estimates is also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

In 2023, there were estimated to be approximately 3.5 billion people employed worldwide, compared to 2.23 billion people in 1991 - an increase of over one billion people. Of these employed people in 2023, approximately 2.1 billion were men, and 1.4 billion were female.

United States US: Employment In Industry: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data was reported at 8.347 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 8.251 % for 2016. United States US: Employment In Industry: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data is updated yearly, averaging 9.952 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.606 % in 1991 and a record low of 7.916 % in 2010. United States US: Employment In Industry: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment. Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The industry sector consists of mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, and public utilities (electricity, gas, and water), in accordance with divisions 2-5 (ISIC 2) or categories C-F (ISIC 3) or categories B-F (ISIC 4).; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in November 2017.; Weighted average; Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections.

Employment in industry (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in World was reported at 23.69 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. World - Employment in industry (% of total employment) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

LA: Employment In Industry: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data was reported at 7.057 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 7.015 % for 2016. LA: Employment In Industry: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data is updated yearly, averaging 3.736 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7.603 % in 2012 and a record low of 2.465 % in 2000. LA: Employment In Industry: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Laos – Table LA.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment. Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The industry sector consists of mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, and public utilities (electricity, gas, and water), in accordance with divisions 2-5 (ISIC 2) or categories C-F (ISIC 3) or categories B-F (ISIC 4).; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in November 2017.; Weighted average; Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections.

IR: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15-24: Female data was reported at 6.900 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 6.130 % for 2016. IR: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15-24: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 6.515 % from Dec 2009 (Median) to 2017, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.430 % in 2009 and a record low of 4.840 % in 2014. IR: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15-24: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iran – Table IR.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed. Employment is defined as persons of working age who, during a short reference period, were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period (i.e. who worked in a job for at least one hour) or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangements. Ages 15-24 are generally considered the youth population.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average; The series for ILO estimates is also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

The Bahamas had the highest female employment-to-population ratio in the world in 2023 at 90 percent of the women in working age in some form of employment. Iceland had the second highest female employment rate of the countries, reaching 81 percent.

Employment statistics on the Global Hotels & Resorts industry in Global

United States US: Employment Index data was reported at 110.264 2010=100 in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 108.897 2010=100 for 2016. United States US: Employment Index data is updated yearly, averaging 72.352 2010=100 from Dec 1948 (Median) to 2017, with 70 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 110.264 2010=100 in 2017 and a record low of 41.457 2010=100 in 1949. United States US: Employment Index data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.IMF.IFS: Labour Force, Employment and Unemployment: Annual.

CU: Employment In Services: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data was reported at 83.475 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 83.244 % for 2022. CU: Employment In Services: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data is updated yearly, averaging 78.068 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2023, with 33 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 83.475 % in 2023 and a record low of 69.403 % in 1995. CU: Employment In Services: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Cuba – Table CU.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The services sector consists of wholesale and retail trade and restaurants and hotels; transport, storage, and communications; financing, insurance, real estate, and business services; and community, social, and personal services, in accordance with divisions 6-9 (ISIC 2) or categories G-Q (ISIC 3) or categories G-U (ISIC 4).;International Labour Organization. “ILO modelled estimates database” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;

CL: Employers: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data was reported at 1.707 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.894 % for 2022. CL: Employers: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data is updated yearly, averaging 2.422 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2023, with 33 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.903 % in 2003 and a record low of 1.707 % in 2023. CL: Employers: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Chile – Table CL.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Employers are those workers who, working on their own account or with one or a few partners, hold the type of jobs defined as a 'self-employment jobs' i.e. jobs where the remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits derived from the goods and services produced), and, in this capacity, have engaged, on a continuous basis, one or more persons to work for them as employee(s).;International Labour Organization. “ILO modelled estimates database” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;

United States US: Employment Rate: Age 15-74 data was reported at 67.118 % in 2026. This records an increase from the previous number of 66.828 % for 2025. United States US: Employment Rate: Age 15-74 data is updated yearly, averaging 65.646 % from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2026, with 42 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 69.750 % in 2000 and a record low of 61.414 % in 2010. United States US: Employment Rate: Age 15-74 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.OECD.EO: Employment and Unemployment: Forecast: OECD Member: Annual.

BR: Wage And Salaried Workers: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data was reported at 74.411 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 73.072 % for 2022. BR: Wage And Salaried Workers: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data is updated yearly, averaging 68.271 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2023, with 33 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 76.240 % in 2014 and a record low of 60.125 % in 1992. BR: Wage And Salaried Workers: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brazil – Table BR.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Wage and salaried workers (employees) are those workers who hold the type of jobs defined as 'paid employment jobs,' where the incumbents hold explicit (written or oral) or implicit employment contracts that give them a basic remuneration that is not directly dependent upon the revenue of the unit for which they work.;International Labour Organization. “ILO modelled estimates database” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;

CO: Wage And Salaried Workers: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data was reported at 56.889 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 56.414 % for 2022. CO: Wage And Salaried Workers: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data is updated yearly, averaging 51.588 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2023, with 33 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 56.889 % in 2023 and a record low of 46.547 % in 2011. CO: Wage And Salaried Workers: Modeled ILO Estimate: Female: % of Female Employment data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Colombia – Table CO.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Wage and salaried workers (employees) are those workers who hold the type of jobs defined as 'paid employment jobs,' where the incumbents hold explicit (written or oral) or implicit employment contracts that give them a basic remuneration that is not directly dependent upon the revenue of the unit for which they work.;International Labour Organization. “ILO modelled estimates database” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;