Employee sentiment index hit record high in May

The Employee Motivation and Commitment Index hit a record in May, climbing three points to 132 to top the previous series high of 129.

Professional, scientific, and technical services, a category that includes lawyers, accountants, and scientists, rose eight points to 135, a new high and well above its previous record of 129 in August. Transportation sentiment improved for the first time since December, jumping nine points to 145. Finance and insurance, which has been rising since March, gained five points to 95.

Healthcare sentiment lost eight points to 124, shedding most of the sector’s gains made since the start of the year. Construction was down for the first time since January, falling four points to 109. Retail and wholesale trade dropped four points to 132. The volatile real estate sector lost 22 points.

“Employee sentiment is a looking glass into worker minds in the United States,” said Dr. Mary Hayes, director of People and Performance at ADP Research. “Our data shows they’re not worried. This contrasts with consumer sentiment, which has been near record lows despite solid labor market indicators.”

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 May 1 through 7, 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 June 17. For EMC Index historical data, visit the ADP Research Data Lab.