Author: Instawork

  • Instawork Wages Jump 12% as U.S. Jobs Market Cools

    Instawork Wages Jump 12% as U.S. Jobs Market Cools

    February Pay Index Shows Businesses Betting on Flexible Staffing to Hedge Against Market Uncertainty, While a Widening Affordability Gap Emerges in Major U.S. Cities

    SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / March 12, 2026 / While the U.S. government reported signs of a cooling labor market in February, Instawork’s real-time platform data shows a different picture of how businesses are staffing and how workers are earning.

    Wages on the Instawork platform rose 12% year over year in February, even as broader hiring slowed across segments of the economy. Businesses are increasingly turning to flexible labor to navigate market uncertainty, while workers in the nation’s most expensive cities are using flexible shifts to help bridge the widening gap between wages and the cost of living. New CPI affordability analysis shows that in several major metros, inflation is rising faster than hourly wages, creating sharp regional differences in workers’ purchasing power.

    The new data coincides with ongoing tariff headwinds, near-historic inventory lows across the supply chain, and renewed geopolitical risk, which are reshaping how American businesses staff their operations and how workers supplement their income.

    At the same time, worker confidence in finding a new job has weakened, helping explain why more people are keeping their primary jobs while picking up additional shifts to supplement income.

    By the Numbers: Labor Data

    +12%

    Pay Index Wage Growth Feb 2026

    4.4%

    Unemployment Rate Feb 2026

    38.8%

    ISM Inventory Index Near 4-Year Low

    45.6%

    Job-Finding Confidence

    Where the Growth is: The Logistics Belt

    While the government’s February report showed that transportation and warehousing lost 11,000 jobs, Instawork’s real-time shift data suggests businesses are still staffing logistics operations, but increasingly through flexible labor rather than permanent hires.

    Warehouse Associate is the single most in-demand role on Instawork in February, reflecting continued activity in distribution centers supporting retail and supply chain operations. The platform’s fastest-growing markets are concentrated in inland logistics corridors where warehouse development and distribution investment continue to expand.

    The most in-demand roles include:

    1. Warehouse Associate (Entry Level)

    2. Line Cook

    3. Dishwasher

    4. Event Server

    5. Food Service Worker

    Instawork’s fastest-growing markets are situated in the “logistics belt,” a network of inland distribution hubs connecting ports, warehouses, and major population centers, and include:

    1. Reno, NV

    2. Louisville, KY

    3. Miami, FL

    4. Columbus, OH

    5. Kansas City, MO

    6. Raleigh-Durham, NC

    The Affordability Gap: Wages vs. Real Costs

    Instawork’s wage index rose 12% year over year, but in the nation’s most expensive cities, that growth is not enough. When platform wage data is measured against local inflation, a stark divide emerges between coastal markets where workers are falling behind and inland markets where flex wages are actually outpacing rising costs.

    In New York and Atlanta, Instawork wages have outpaced local inflation. San Francisco and Seattle show the steepest affordability gaps.

    Metro Area

    Cumulative Real Wage Change

    Affordability Status

    Atlanta, GA

    +4.04%

    Gaining Affordability

    New York, NY

    +0.80%

    Gaining Affordability

    Chicago, IL

    -10.67%

    Losing Affordability

    Seattle, WA

    -15.31%

    Losing Affordability

    San Francisco, CA

    -19.24%

    Losing Affordability

    The gap is widest where workers are already stretched thinnest. The Yale Budget Lab estimates that tariff-driven inflation will add $600-$800 per household annually under the current Section 122 regime, rising above $1,000 if tariffs are made permanent.

    About the Instawork Pay Index

    The Instawork Pay Index is a monthly analysis of real-time platform data covering shift volume, wages, worker mobility, and geographic demand trends across Instawork’s network. February 2026 data reflects activity from February 1-28, 2026. Wage data is compared against BLS CPI data by metropolitan statistical area. The Pay Index is released following the BLS Employment Situation Summary.

    About Instawork

    Instawork’s mission is to create economic opportunities for businesses and hourly workers across the globe. As the leading AI-powered marketplace for hourly labor, Instawork connects light industrial, hospitality, retail, and robotics companies to skilled workers, turning staffing agility into a competitive advantage. Instawork helps more than nine million workers earn on their terms while developing valuable skills.

    Backed by leading investors such as Benchmark, Craft, Greylock, and Spark Capital, Instawork is redefining how businesses stay resilient and how people work.

    Media Contacts:
    press@instawork.com | instawork.com | @Instawork
    Amanda Pires, Head of Communications | apires@instawork.com | 650-208-3728

    SOURCE: Instawork

    View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

  • Flexible Work Expands as Broader Market Stabilizes

    Flexible Work Expands as Broader Market Stabilizes

    SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / February 11, 2026 / While headline labor data suggests stabilization after a slower 2025, new data from Instawork shows flexible labor demand strengthening to start 2026.

    Continuing a trend from late last year, January data shows flexible work activity broadening across region, led by hospitality, wholesale, retail, warehousing, and other essential operations. While permanent hiring has slowed over the last several months, demand for flexible work has remained active, with growth concentrated in the “Logistics Belt” across the South and parts of the Eastern United States.

    By the Numbers: Real-Time Labor Demand

    Businesses are meeting labor needs without adding permanent headcount, while increasing their reliance on flexible labor.

    • Filled shift volume grew at a double-digit rate in January compared to the same period last year, despite slower full-time hiring.

    • Instawork’s wage index rose to 52 in January 2026, up from 50 in January 2025, indicating measured upward movement.

    • The strongest demand was concentrated in hospitality, wholesale and retail, transportation, warehousing and events.

    • Growth was especially strong across logistics-driven markets in the South and Northeast, where supply chain activity continues to expand beyond traditional metro centers.

    By the Numbers: Worker Mobility and Affordability Pressure

    Workers are traveling farther and adjusting how they work to keep up with rising costs and manage affordability issues.

    • Average commute distance increased 5.7% in January 2026 compared to a year earlier.

    • 7.7% of filled shifts involved workers traveling more than 100 miles, up from 6.6% during the same period last year.

    • 15.2% of shifts fell in the 50-100 mile range, up from 14.5%.

    • 12.9% of shifts were within 5-10 miles, down from 14.5%, suggesting fewer hyper-local opportunities relative to longer-distance work.

    By the Numbers: Where Shift Demand Is Growing Fastest

    The strongest gains in shift volume continued to be concentrated in the “Logistics Belt,” where logistics and other essential operations are expanding beyond traditional metro centers.

    The following regions and cities represent the fastest-growing markets for flexible work in January:

    • Greater North Carolina: +56.6%

    • Jackson, Mississippi: +51.0%

    • Asheville, North Carolina: +15.7%

    • Allentown, Pennsylvania: +15.3%

    • Portland, Maine: +12.9%

    • Trenton, New Jersey: +11.8%

    • Mobile, Alabama: +8.9%

    About Instawork

    Instawork‘s mission is to create economic opportunities for businesses and hourly workers across the globe. As the leading AI-powered marketplace for hourly labor, Instawork connects light industrial, hospitality, retail, and robotics companies to skilled workers, turning staffing agility into a competitive advantage. Instawork helps more than nine million workers earn on their terms while developing valuable skills.

    Backed by leading investors such as Benchmark, Craft, Greylock, and Spark Capital, Instawork is redefining how businesses stay resilient and how people work.

    Media Contact

    Amanda Pires
    Head of Communications, Instawork
    apires@instawork.com | 650-208-3728

    SOURCE: Instawork

    View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

  • The Super Bowl LX: AI Powers the Bay Area’s Biggest Week of Jobs and Spending

    The Super Bowl LX: AI Powers the Bay Area’s Biggest Week of Jobs and Spending

    SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / February 3, 2026 / Super Bowl LX is more than the biggest game of the year. For the Bay Area, it is one of the largest economic surges of the decade and the first time an event of this scale is being run with AI at its core.

    New Instawork data shows Super Bowl week driving job demand, rising wages, a surge in visitors, near-sellout hotel occupancy, and a sharp increase in hospitality, event, and stadium jobs across San Francisco and the surrounding region.

    What’s different in 2026: This is the first Super Bowl run at AI scale.

    By the Numbers: The Super Bowl Economy

    • 9.06 million visitors are expected across Super Bowl-related events, roughly one million more visitors, or a 13% bump, over an average February

    • 95% hotel occupancy is projected citywide, effectively a regional sellout

    • $5,553 average spend per visitor is more than three times typical event spending, driving outsized demand for service, event, and stadium labor

    • Shift volume is surpassing February 2025 levels with just under one week remaining before the Big Game

    • Booked shifts grew 20.7% in the final week compared to last year, reflecting accelerating booking velocity as Super Bowl week approaches

    • 12% increase in hourly pay across Bay Area roles

    • Warehouse and logistics shift volume grew by 320%, signaling early-stage event preparation and supply movement

    • Other top requested shifts showing significant demand vs. last year, include:

      • Brand Ambassador, up +226%

      • Merchandiser, up +56%

      • Barback, up 67%, alongside an 11% increase in hourly rates for the role

    • Core hospitality roles such as line cooks, event servers, and dishwashers booked later than last year, consistent with event-specific roles filling closer to the event date

    The First AI Super Bowl

    Behind the packed hotels, pop-up activations, and sold-out events, the challenge is scaling a massive workforce that must adapt to minute-by-minute changes.

    Instawork, a San Francisco-based company, is operating a native AI platform that coordinates tens of thousands of shifts during Super Bowl week, drawing on millions of data points in real time. The system represents one of the largest AI-driven workforce deployments used for a live event.

    Instead of manual scheduling and reactive staffing, AI is used to:

    • Match skilled workers to roles across venues and partners in real time

    • Adjust staffing levels in real time based on live and predicted needs and conditions

    • Maintain continuous operations across hospitality, events, and stadium environments

    While human workers remain essential for on-the-ground services and tasks, AI’s predictive power and massive coordination capabilities manage the scale and complexity of the Super Bowl workforce behind the scenes.

    About Instawork

    Instawork’s mission is to create economic opportunities for businesses and hourly workers across the globe. As the leading AI-powered marketplace for hourly labor, Instawork connects light industrial, hospitality, retail, and robotics companies to skilled workers, turning staffing agility into a competitive advantage. Instawork helps more than nine million workers earn on their terms while developing valuable skills.

    Backed by leading investors such as Benchmark, Craft, Greylock, and Spark Capital, Instawork is redefining how businesses stay resilient and how people work.

    Media Contact
    Amanda Pires
    Head of Communications, Instawork
    apires@instawork.com | 650-208-3728

    SOURCE: Instawork

    View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

  • Instawork Year in Flexible Labor 2025: Inland Markets Surge as Coastal Affordability Tightens

    Instawork Year in Flexible Labor 2025: Inland Markets Surge as Coastal Affordability Tightens

    Raleigh-Durham’s Flexible Labor Activity Soared 50%, Underscoring Inland Momentum as Affordability Gaps Deepened in High-Cost Markets Like San Francisco and Seattle

    SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / December 10, 2025 / Instawork today released The Year in Flexible Labor 2025, an annual view of the real-time labor dynamics that shaped local economies this year.

    Based on millions of completed shifts across 150 markets, the real-time data shows affordability as the dominant force determining where businesses operate and where workers choose to earn. While major markets remained the busiest for total shifts, inland regions, particularly parts of North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee, saw the fastest acceleration in demand. This aligns with recent Census data showing that the fastest-growing U.S. metros were in Southern and inland markets.1

    Logistics and manufacturing operations show a similar pattern. A 2025 study of 50 U.S. metro areas found that warehousing and distribution activity has increasingly re-concentrated in inland and mid-sized markets rather than coastal hubs, driven by land availability, operating costs, and proximity to regional supply chains.2 Instawork’s flexible labor data captures this trend in real-time.

    Key Insights From Instawork Year in Flexible Labor 2025

    1. Affordability Increased Staffing Pressure

    Several major markets continued to show the largest demand for flexible work, but affordability challenges intensified sharply in 2025:

    San Francisco and Seattle recorded the widest wage-inflation gaps, with real wages falling further behind the cost of essential goods.3

    That pressure coincided with population and cost trends in inland markets where wage growth held closer to inflation and operating costs remained more stable.

    2. Inland Metros Drove the Fastest Shift Growth

    As affordability tightened in coastal markets, inland regions captured the strongest gains in flexible labor activity, reflecting broader economic and population expansion in the South and Midwest. Raleigh-Durham led the way with a surge in flexible labor demand followed by Nashville, New York, Columbus, and Dallas.

    Instawork Year of Flexible Work 2025: The Inland Surge
    Inland Metros Drove the Fastest Shift Growth

    3. Core Operational Roles and Midweek Demand Held Steady

    General labor, warehouse work, back-of-house kitchen roles, and event staffing were in the highest demand throughout 2025, with businesses leaning on flexible staffing to manage an uncertain business environment.

    Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Tuesdays (in that order) remained the busiest shift days, giving workers predictable midweek opportunities, while maintaining schedule and income flexibility.

    4. Wage Movement by Occupation

    Role-level wage trends varied, reflecting local cost pressures and staffing needs. Merchandisers saw the strongest wage growth, followed by brand ambassadors, security personnel, and entry-level warehouse workers. Hotel housekeepers, food service workers, and forklift drivers experienced slight declines.

    Instawork Year in Flexible Labor 2025: Wage Growth by Occupation
    Wage Movement by Occupation

    2025 Totals at a Glance

    Top 5 most requested roles:

    General Labor, Warehouse Associate, Line Cook, Event Server, Dishwasher

    Fastest-growing markets:

    Raleigh-Durham, Nashville, New York, Columbus, Dallas

    Peak shift days:

    Wednesday, Thursday, Tuesday (in order)

    Average fill rate: 95%

    Stat of the Year

    Raleigh-Durham’s 50% shift growth and North Carolina’s broader population gains reflect a structural rise in inland economic activity, consistent with population and supply chain operations growth.1 2

    Signals for 2026

    Inland momentum will grow as businesses seek more predictable and lower-cost markets.

    Wages and role demand will continue to vary as businesses respond to global economic uncertainty and cost pressures, which impact staffing needs.

    Flexible staffing will continue serving as an affordability hedge, allowing operators to match labor to demand in real-time.

    Major markets with improving wage-inflation alignment (e.g., New York, Atlanta) may become more attractive for logistics and hospitality expansion.

    1. U.S. Census Bureau, “Metro Area Trends” (2025) and “Vintage 2024 Population Estimates”, showing growth in 88% of U.S. metros and fastest growth concentrated in Southern/inland cities.

    2. ScienceDirect (2025), “Re-concentration of logistics activities across 50 U.S. metros,” documenting the inland/mid-sized shift in warehousing and distribution activity.

    3. Instawork’s Quarterly Wage Index, December 2025

    About Instawork

    Instawork’s mission is to create economic opportunities for businesses and hourly workers across the globe. As the leading AI-powered marketplace for hourly labor, Instawork connects light industrial, hospitality, retail, and robotics companies to skilled workers, turning staffing agility into a competitive advantage. Instawork helps more than nine million workers earn on their terms while developing valuable skills.

    Backed by leading investors such as Benchmark, Craft, Greylock, and Spark Capital, Instawork is redefining how businesses stay resilient and how people work.

    Contact Information

    Amanda Pires
    Head of Strategic Communications
    apires@instawork.com
    6502083728

    .

    View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

  • Holiday Paychecks Shrink Fastest in San Francisco and Seattle; New York and Atlanta Workers Show Most Wage Resilience

    Holiday Paychecks Shrink Fastest in San Francisco and Seattle; New York and Atlanta Workers Show Most Wage Resilience

    New Analysis Reveals Real Hourly Pay is Falling Double-Digits Behind Inflation in Major Metros, Fueling a Localized Affordability Crisis and the Most Geographically Uneven Holiday Earnings Season Since the Pandemic

    SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESS Newswire / December 2, 2025 / As businesses gear up for the holiday rush, a new Instawork analysis reveals the widest affordability declines are now concentrated in San Francisco and Seattle, where real hourly pay has fallen furthest behind inflation since early 2022.

    Instawork
    Instawork

    By contrast, Atlanta and New York have swung into positive real-wage territory, making them the most affordable major metros heading into the holidays. Chicago sits squarely in the middle, though worsening year-over-year.

    Pay Index Winners and Losers

    Hourly wages on Instawork have risen 13.65% since February 2022, but inflation rose faster – 14.81% – confirming that real wages nationally have slipped behind rising prices.

    But, importantly, the national average masks a hyper-local labor market reality: These affordability challenges vary dramatically by metro area, widening the gap between what workers earn and the price of everyday essentials.

    How to Read the Data:

    The percentages represent the gap between local wage growth and inflation (Consumer Price Index or CPI) since early 2022.

    Specifically:

    A negative number = wages are losing to inflation.

    A positive number = wages are outpacing inflation.

    Hardest-Hit Markets: Largest Declines in Real Purchasing Power

    Here’s where the gap between wage growth and inflation has widened the most since February 2022 – and where workers are staying closer to even.

    San Francisco: -18.94%
    Now the most expensive major metro. Affordability eroded sharply over the past year, driven by elevated services inflation and cooling wage growth in events and logistics.

    Seattle: -14.91%
    Still deeply underwater. Tech-sector cooling and softer warehouse demand slowed wage gains while living costs continued to rise.

    Middle Tier: Real Wages Eroding, But Not Collapsing

    Chicago: -9.97%
    Real earnings are slipping faster year over year. Wage growth has not kept pace with local prices, particularly across warehouse and hospitality segments.

    Most Resilient Markets: Real Purchasing Power Improving

    Atlanta: +5.34%
    One of the few markets beating inflation. Strong logistics infrastructure, film production cycles, and warehouse competition are pushing wages ahead of prices.

    New York City: +1.40%
    One of the biggest turnarounds in the country. Wage growth has finally overtaken inflation, boosted by hospitality demand, warehousing activity, and sharper peak-season staffing discipline.

    “The labor market isn’t one story – it’s five very different ones,” said Ashwin Somakur, Senior Economics Analyst at Instawork. “In some cities, a paycheck stretches less than ever. In others, wages are finally beating inflation. That split is changing how businesses staff – and how workers earn – in real time.

    “Where affordability gaps are widest, companies are leaning on flexible labor to stay agile, and workers are taking extra shifts to keep up. It’s the clearest sign yet that flexibility is no longer optional – it’s the adjustment mechanism in a high-cost economy.”

    Signals for 2026: What the Wage-Inflation Gap Suggests for the Year Ahead

    Instawork’s analysis points to three early trends that could shape local labor markets in 2026.

    1. Stable Wages May Attract New Investment

    Cities like Atlanta and New York, where real wages have held steady with inflation, could become more attractive for logistics, hospitality, and events investment next year. Stable real wages often signal a healthier, more predictable balance between labor supply, demand, and pricing pressure.

    2. Flexible Staffing as a Volatility Hedge

    As businesses face unpredictable consumer spending and cost pressure, more are relying on shift-based staffing to precisely match labor to real-time demand. This allows employers to stay responsive without the risk of committing to permanent headcount changes.

    3. Real-Time Staffing is the New Competitive Advantage

    Instawork filled ~95% of shifts in 2025, often within hours – giving operators a clear, fast way to match labor to real-time needs and compete in unpredictable markets.

    About the Instawork Quarterly Pay Index

    The Quarterly Pay Index measures the relationship between hourly wages and consumer prices across key U.S. metros, providing one of the most accurate real-time views of current labor market dynamics. All series are indexed to February 2022 (100), with real-wage change calculated as wage growth minus the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Data sources include Instawork transactions (2022-2025), and The Bureau of Labor Statistics, including the Employer Cost Index and Consumer Price Index.

    About Instawork

    Instawork is the leading AI-powered marketplace in the U.S. and Canada, connecting local businesses with more than nine million skilled hourly professionals across hospitality, industrial, and retail. With its network of verified professionals and industry-leading trust and safety, Instawork helps companies like DoorDash, Hilton, Alibaba, and Walmart scale staffing with speed and confidence.

    Our top-rated app attracts the largest pool of talent by offering flexibility, competitive pay, and meaningful opportunities for advancement – keeping businesses fully staffed and operational in fast-changing labor markets.

    Contact Information

    Amanda Pires
    Head of Strategic Communications
    apires@instawork.com
    6502083728

    .

    SOURCE: Instawork

    Related Documents:

    View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire