The newest Demographic Drought report, The Rising Storm, is out now

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The Demographic Drought Series

A dynamic set of Lightcast reports, from 2021-today about the US labor shortage

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The only reports with data-backed opportunities for navigating our current labor crisis

In 2021, The Demographic Drought took the world by storm. Our research on the people shortage that would change the world forever was featured in national outlets including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and ForbesBridging The Gap, our follow-up research published a year later, went further with short-term predictions and suggested two opportunities for increasing labor force participation. Now, we’re back again with The Rising Storm: Building a Future-Ready Workforce to Withstand the Looming Labor Shortage, with more detail and a clearer focus on the years to come.

Our Demographic Drought Series

The Forthcoming US Labor Shortage

76M

Baby Boomers are ready to retire

8:1

The predicted ratio of population growth to labor force growth is alarming

60.4%

By 2032, the Labor Force Participation Rate will fall to a historic low

A Demographic Drought Report

The Rising Storm

The population is aging and fewer and fewer people are entering the workforce. This perfect storm of demographic and workforce trends will lead to unprecedented disruption in the labor market. What are the forces shaping this storm, and how can you prepare?


The Rising Storm has the answers. Lightcast experts have done the math, using our data and analysis to understand why, how, and when the storm will hit, and steps every organization can take to build a future-ready workforce.

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Bridge the Gap

Download Bridging The Gap

In a time of change and a desperate need for workers, people can only come from two sources. Will you rely on immigration to solve your problem or will you actively pursue unemployed and unengaged workers?

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Download The Demographic Drought

In the original report released April 2021, we explored how the approaching labor shortages would transform the labor market forever. From baby boomers to millennials to the 2020 Baby Bust, we tracked the rise and fall of America’s population and labor force participation rate.