BLS: Engineering services productivity grew 0.6 percent
From 1987 through 2003, labor productivity (as measured by output per hour) increased at an average annual rate of 0.6 percent in the engineering services industry, according to a report released Friday by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Productivity in engineering services grew most rapidly at the end of 1980s and during the second half of the 1990s. From 1995 to 2000, output per hour grew 1.8 percent per year as output rose 6.2 percent per year and hours increased 4.3 percent.
Productivity declined during the first half of the 1990s, with output falling an average 0.6 percent per year and hours rising 0.4 percent per year.
Productivity also declined from 2000 to 2003, as output fell an average 2.5 percent per year and hours declined 1.1 percent per year.
These data are from the BLS Productivity and Costs program. Additional information is available in "New Service Industry Productivity Measures," (PDF) Report 993.