September 9, 2025 – ManpowerGroup Inc. has released its latest Employment Outlook Survey, revealing a cautious approach to hiring among global employers as they look ahead to the fourth quarter of 2025. The survey, which is based on responses from over 40,000 employers across 42 countries, indicates that 45% of employers plan to maintain their current workforce levels, marking the highest percentage since early 2022.

1. A Shift in Hiring Strategies

Despite ongoing economic uncertainties, the data suggests a measured shift in hiring strategies. While 38% of employers intend to increase staff, 15% anticipate workforce reductions. This results in a Net Employment Outlook (NEO) of 23%, which reflects a slight decrease of one point from the previous quarter and a two-point decline year-over-year.

Jonas Prising, ManpowerGroup’s Chair & CEO, highlighted the importance of adaptability in today’s labor market. "We continue to see underlying stability with cautious outlooks into Q4... This isn't simply about hiring less; it's about hiring more selectively," Prising explained. He emphasized the need for organizations to focus on specialized skills that can provide a competitive advantage in a rapidly changing environment.

2. Talent Challenges Persist

Employers are still grappling with significant talent challenges. Nearly half (46%) of surveyed employers identified attracting qualified candidates as their primary obstacle. However, the global talent shortage appears to be easing slightly, decreasing from a record-high of 77% in 2023 to 74% in 2025. Innovative retention strategies are gaining traction, with 39% of employers citing improved work-life balance as the most effective means to retain talent.

Among those planning to reduce staff, one-third (33%) attribute their decisions to ongoing economic uncertainty. Notably, this figure has shown improvement since tracking began in Q2 2025, declining from 35% to 33%.

3. Sector and Regional Insights

Sector Highlights

Information Technology: With a hiring outlook of 36%, this sector demonstrates the most optimistic hiring plans.

Financials and Real Estate: Following closely with a 29% outlook.

Transport, Logistics, and Automotive: Reports a promising 24% hiring outlook.

Cautious Sectors: Communication Services (19%), Consumer Goods & Services (20%), Energy & Utilities (20%), and Healthcare and Life Sciences (20%) exhibit more conservative hiring intentions.

Regional Trends

Asia Pacific (APAC): Leading the global hiring outlook with a robust 30%, unchanged from the previous quarter but showing a four-point improvement year-over-year. India (40%) and China (34%) are at the forefront, while Hong Kong (6%) remains cautious.

The Americas: Holds the second-strongest outlook at 25%, albeit down three points from previous quarters. Brazil (36%) and Costa Rica (35%) lead the region, while Argentina shows the weakest global outlook at 5%.

Europe and the Middle East: Reports the lowest global hiring expectations at 18%, flat from the previous quarter but down four points year-over-year. The United Arab Emirates leads the region at 45%, while countries like the UK (11%) and France (13%) continue to face challenges.

4. Conclusion

The findings from ManpowerGroup's Q4 2025 Employment Outlook Survey underscore a period of cautious optimism among global employers. While many organizations are poised to maintain or selectively grow their workforces, challenges in attracting and retaining qualified talent remain prevalent. As economic uncertainty lingers, employers are increasingly focusing on specialized skills to navigate the evolving job landscape.

The next ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey will be released in December 2025, providing insights into hiring expectations for the first quarter of 2026. For more detailed results, including regional and country data, visit ManpowerGroup's website.

Original press release