Employers say they are staying the course instead of hiring right now
Summary
A new ManpowerGroup report shows employers are taking a measured approach to hiring as economic uncertainty continues. Forty-five percent of surveyed employers expect to keep headcount steady in Q4 2025 — the highest share since early 2022 — while fewer than 40% plan to add staff and 15% expect reductions. The survey covered 40,000 employers across 42 countries.
Where hiring does happen, it’s targeted: firms are prioritising specific capabilities (notably technology). Attracting qualified applicants and retention remain top challenges. Separate surveys show many HR teams have enacted hiring freezes or paused recruitment for up to a year, leading organisations to double down on reskilling, internal mobility and change management training.
Key Points
- 45% of employers plan to maintain current workforce levels in Q4 2025 (ManpowerGroup).
- Fewer than 40% expect to add staff; 15% expect to reduce headcount.
- Hiring that does occur is highly selective and focused on specific capabilities, especially tech skills.
- Attracting qualified applicants and retention are cited as the biggest hiring hurdles.
- Many organisations are prioritising reskilling, internal mobility and change-management training amid hiring freezes.
Why should I read this?
Quick heads-up: if you hire, manage or plan talent strategy, this matters. Companies aren’t necessarily cutting loose — they’re pausing and picking their hires. That means invest in internal talent, sharpen reskilling programmes and get your change-management playbook ready. Saves you a bit of panic and a lot of wasted job ads.
Source
Source: https://www.hrdive.com/news/employers-staying-the-course-instead-of-hiring-right-now/760110/