Employee sentiment dips in March

The Employee Motivation and Commitment Index fell slightly in March, dropping two points to 127. The index has been relatively stable since reaching a record high of 129 in July 2024.

Transportation and warehousing had the biggest drop, falling 12 points to 140. This marks the third straight month of decline for the sector and aligns with seasonal patterns seen over the last two years.

Continuing a downward trend, finance and insurance fell nine points to 87, its lowest point since November 2023. Real estate also slipped nine points, to 96.

Only three of our 10 sectors showed strength. Manufacturing had the most substantial improvement, with employee sentiment up eight points to 182. Construction and related trades, which has been on the rise since January, rose two points to 106. Information held its record high of 156 set in February.

“In manufacturing, employee motivation and commitment rose in March after a February hiring bump that followed months of weakness,” said Dr. Mary Hayes, director of People and Performance at ADP Research. “We also saw a sentiment boost among workers in construction and related trades, which could be attributed to seasonal patterns.”

The Employee Motivation and Commitment Index tracks how people think and feel about their jobs and employers. ADP Research collects data each month using a panel survey to gather a stratified, random panel sample of 2,500 U.S. workers. This month’s survey was fielded Mar. 3 through 5, 2025.

By providing a real-time measure of the state of worker allegiance, the index can tell us whether people are flourishing in their jobs or detaching.

ADP Research publishes the EMC Index on the third Tuesday of every month. The next release will be April 15. For EMC Index historical data, visit the ADP Research Data Lab.