Why higher productivity doesn't equal wage growth episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 2, 2026 · 26 MIN

Why higher productivity doesn't equal wage growth

from Marketplace · host Marketplace

Productivity — the rate at which companies make what they make, or do what they do — has been a reliably bright spot in this economy. But wage growth hasn’t kept up. In this episode, what’s hampering compensation growth while overall productivity rises at a clip? Plus: Is AI actually to blame for recent layoffs? Is rising global debt bad news? And, the partial government shutdown will delay crucial employment data.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Feb 2, 2026

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Why higher productivity doesn't equal wage growth

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