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U. S OUTLOOK: FEWER AGENT JOBS, WOMEN WORKERS
The total U. S. employment market is projected to continue to grow over the next 10 years, but at a slower pace than in the past. According to the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics( BLS), the U. S. economy is projected to add 5.2 million jobs from 2024 to 2034. Total employment is projected to increase to 175.2 million, growing at 3.1 %. But this is far slower than the 13 % growth recorded from 2014 to 2024.
But while some segments, notably healthcare and social assistance( driven by the aging population and chronic illnesses) and IT, notably AI-related occupations will see many new opportunities, others, like customer service( including the contact center), will continue to experience declines.
The BLS is projecting a drop in their employment from approximately 2.8 million to 2.7 million – a 5 % decline- between 2024 and 2034.
Says the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Customer Service Representatives,“ There is expected to be less demand for customer service representatives, especially in retail trade, as their tasks continue to be automated.
“ Self-service systems, social media, and mobile applications enable customers to do simple tasks without interacting with a representative. Advancements in technology will gradually allow these automated systems to do even more tasks.”
But the BLS also reports that even with the net decline of customer service positions, there will still be openings – 341,700 each year over the next 10 years – to replace those exiting the workforce, like for retirement or who transfer to other positions.
But who will fill those vacant positions? The BLS is also projecting an accelerated decline in the labor force participation( LFP) rate from 2024 to 2034 to 61.1 % from 62.6 % in the 2014-2024 period.
The faster drop appears to be caused by fewer women joining the workforce: a reversal of past trends. While the LFP rate of women working increased by 0.5 % from 2014 to 2024 to 57.5 %, that is expected to flip to a 0.8 % decline, to 56.7 %, from 2024 to 2034.
This number, if it holds up, may well be significant for contact center hiring with women apparently having comprised the majority of contact center agents.
We asked our panel for their commentary on these BLS projections.
LIZ GRIFFIN: The latest BLS projections reflect what we’ re seeing across the industry: workforce shifts are accelerating as automation advances and demographic changes reshape labor supply.
While healthcare continues to grow with an aging population, these trends also influence the types of support customers expect and the skills organizations need.
The decline in customer service roles doesn’ t mean CX is shrinking; it’ s evolving. Contact centers are becoming smaller in headcount but stronger in capability, transforming into true experience and engagement hubs that combine data, automation, and human judgment to create meaningful interactions.
The dip in women’ s labor force participation is worth watching. Women have long represented a large share of the contact center workforce, so retaining and reskilling this talent through flexible models, hybrid work, and clear career paths will be critical to sustaining service quality and continuity.
In short, this is less about job loss and more about job redesign. The opportunity lies in balancing automation with access, empathy, and inclusion so that every customer interaction still feels distinctly human.
"... WORKFORCE SHIFTS ARE ACCELERATING AS AUTOMATION ADVANCES AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES RESHAPE LABOR SUPPLY."
-- LIZ GRIFFIN
MARK PEREIRA: The BLS projection for a 5 % decline in the number of customer service representatives sounds concerning at first, but look closer at the number of new openings every year to replace people leaving the field.
So, even if the total number of CSR roles dips slightly, call and contact centers will still be very busy with hiring, onboarding, and developing talent.
A dip in women’ s labor force participation could make hiring more challenging, but it also opens an opportunity for call and contact centers to lead the way in rethinking flexibility and inclusion.
Centers can promote what many women value most: remote or hybrid roles, predictable schedules, and the ability to trade shifts for a day, a week, or when life happens.
Supportive cultures also make a difference: ones that understand real-life challenges and offer resources like strong employee assistance programs( EAPs) to help find affordable child or elder care.
Just as important is showing women how their work makes a meaningful impact, not only on the company, but on the customers and communities the company serves.
When women see both flexibility and purpose, they see a future worth staying for.
10 CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE