Texas job growth slows

Raise your hand if you feel personally victimized by work.

• Actually, don't do that. American CEOs don't want to hear it.

Why it matters: The job market is shrinking, managers are penalizing workers for unplugging after hours and employee burnout is rising.

• The trifecta has led to the latest workplace buzzphrase: "quiet cracking."

The big picture: Americans are about as pessimistic about the current job market as they were during the Great Recession.

• Texas has been somewhat insulated with a lower unemployment rate (4%) than the national average (4.2%).

Zoom in: The unemployment rate ticked up in every Texas metro in July compared to June, according to the latest jobs report.

• The state did add jobs in July but at a slower rate than the beginning of the year.
• The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas lowered its forecast last month for how much Texas jobs will grow in 2025.

Friction point: Workers won't find comfort in the C-suites. CEOs are looking to reset workplace culture — emphasizing productivity and speed over flexibility and work-life balance, writes Axios' Eleanor Hawkins.

The bottom line: Gov. Greg Abbott continues to celebrate Texas' top job growth in the U.S., but that surge is slowing here just like everywhere else.