And since PG Benchmarks began tracking the measure four years ago, Pittsburgh's ranking has moved up from fifth and is poised at this rate to pass Seattle next year and move into third place. That is excellent news for Pittsburgh's economy.
Productivity is an important measure because it determines a region's standard of living.
When workers are more productive, wages go up and companies are able to improve their competitive edge by holding the line on price increases. The region's productivity, in fact, may be the light that rescues it. Pittsburgh's productivity stems from several factors. Because of the region's slow growth, employees stay in jobs longer and are more committed to them. Also, hard work is a strong holdover from the region's industrial heritage, having outlived Big Steel's smoke, flames and soot.