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Global Employers Exercise Caution in Hiring Plans for Q4 2025

Global hiring efforts are taking a measured turn as we approach the fourth quarter of 2025. According to ManpowerGroup's recent Employment Outlook Survey, which assesses hiring intentions from over 40,000 employers across 42 countries, 45% of companies plan to maintain their current workforce. This statistic reflects a significant trend, marking the highest level of workforce stabilization since early 2022.

Amidst a landscape defined by economic uncertainty, organizations are refining their approach to hiring. The survey results show that while 38% of employers are looking to expand their staff, a noticeable 15% are preparing for workforce reductions. This leads to a Net Employment Outlook of 23%, which indicates a cautious decline from Q3 and a dip of two points compared to the previous year. Employers are strategically balancing opportunities for growth against the backdrop of an ever-evolving economic climate.

Key Trends in Hiring

A closer examination of the data reveals that businesses are now targeting specific skill sets rather than focusing on broad workforce growth. Notably, 39% of new hires are envisioned to drive technological advancement. This prioritization reveals significant regional variances, with countries like India (36%) and China (33%) leading the charge compared to the United States and the UK (both at 27%). As Jonas Prising, CEO of ManpowerGroup, asserts, the focus is shifting toward hiring with greater selectivity, ensuring organizations retain skilled workers while adapting to market changes.

Interestingly, nearly half of the surveyed employers (46%) reported challenges in attracting qualified candidates—an issue that underscores the ongoing global talent shortage, which, although still pronounced, shows signs of improving slightly. The talent availability level has edged down from a peak of 77% in 2023 to 74% in 2025. One notable strategy emerging to tackle retention challenges is enhancing work-life balance, with 39% of employers identifying this as the most effective method.

Economic Impact on Workforce Decisions

Among employers planning staff reductions, a significant 33% attribute their decision to economic uncertainties. To understand these motivations better, ManpowerGroup began tracking this trend earlier in 2025. Encouragingly, the data suggests a decline in the emphasis on economic concerns, falling from 35% to 33%.

Sector Highlights

Diving deeper into sector-specific hiring plans, the Information Technology (IT) sector stands out with the most optimistic outlook (36%), followed by Financials and Real Estate (29%) and Transport, Logistics, and Automotive (24%). On the other hand, employers in Communication Services (19%), Consumer Goods & Services (20%), Energy & Utilities (20%), and Healthcare and Life Sciences (20%) reflect more conservative hiring strategies.

Regional Insights

When evaluating hiring intentions across geographical locations, the Asia Pacific (APAC) region leads with a robust outlook of 30%, showcasing growth stability since early 2021. Within APAC, India leads with a significant 40%, while China follows closely at 34%. However, Hong Kong has the lowest outlook in the region at just 6%.

In the Americas, the hiring outlook sits at 25%, representing a decrease of three points from previous assessments. Notable regions include Brazil (36%), Costa Rica (35%), and the United States (28%), with Argentina reporting the weakest global outlook at a mere 5%.

Lastly, employers in Europe and the Middle East project the lowest global hiring expectations at 18%, reflecting the ongoing economic uncertainty. In this region, the United Arab Emirates leads with a 45% outlook, while the UK and France continue to express caution, struggling with hiring intentions.

Conclusion

The latest insights from the ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey paint a multifaceted view of the global labor market as we prepare for the final months of 2025. While employers express caution, the data indicates a critical focus on specialized skills and organizational resilience. As the labor market continues to navigate the challenges of economic fluctuations, understanding these dynamics becomes essential for both employers and job seekers alike. For those interested in a deeper dive into the specific data behind these trends, the full Q4 2025 survey results are available on ManpowerGroup's website.

The next installment of the survey is anticipated in December 2025 and will provide fresh insights into hiring expectations for the first quarter of 2026.