Despite trade jitters, employers plan steady global Q3 hiring
While the majority of companies worldwide, 89%, report that trade uncertainty impacted their immediate hiring decisions in April, most plan for steady hiring in the third quarter of 2025, according to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey.
The report is based on responses from over 40,600 employers across 42 countries. It showed that the global net employment outlook (NEO) stands at +24%, down just one point from last quarter and up two points year over year. The outlook is calculated by subtracting employers' planned reductions from those planning to hire.
Companies investing the most in technology, AI, and automation report the most optimistic hiring plans, showing a clear link between innovation and confidence. Overall, 40% of employers expect to increase hiring, 42% plan to maintain current staff levels, 16% anticipate cuts, and 2% are unsure.
The strongest hiring plans were reported in the United Arab Emirates (48%), India (42%), and Costa Rica (41%), while Argentina (3%), Hungary (5%), and Romania (6%) reported the most cautious outlooks.
Employers in 20 countries reported a stronger hiring outlook compared with the same period last year, weakening in 15, and remaining unchanged in six.
The US had the sixth-highest seasonally adjusted net employment outlook at 30%.
Separately, Canada had a net employment outlook of 26%, Australia posted a reading of 21%, and the UK’s is 19%.
Businesses in the IT industry reported the brightest outlook, remaining relatively stable (+1 point) when compared to the previous quarter and improving since the same time last year (+7 points).
Company expansion (37%) remains the top reason for staffing increases, while adapting to the economic environment (34%) leads the factors behind workforce adjustments.
Another key finding from the report is that size aligns with hiring optimism, as larger organisations showed stronger confidence. Companies with 1,000-4,999 employees reported a 29% outlook, while smaller firms, those with fewer than 50 employees, showed a more cautious 16% outlook.
Meanwhile, nearly 6 in 10 companies, 57%, are future-proofing their HR strategy for an exiting workforce.
“Trade uncertainty added to already cooling labour markets, prompting some companies to pause or slow hiring plans,” Jonas Prising, ManpowerGroup chair and CEO, said in a press release. “However, this new data shows that, for now, hiring outlooks have stabilised. Employers are moving ahead with Q3 plans focused on attracting specialist skills and investing in AI that enhances human potential. Still, caution remains high — and if conditions become more unsettled, we can expect employers to adapt accordingly.”
By Region
The Asia Pacific region led globally with an outlook of 29%, with modest improvements year over year. India (42%) led regional confidence, ranking second globally, while China (28%) and Singapore (24%) continue to show solid hiring intentions. Hong Kong (8%) and Japan (15%) remain more cautious.
The Americas region reported the second strongest outlook at 27%, with hiring intentions weakening 7 points quarter over quarter. Costa Rica (41%) and Brazil (33%) reported the strongest regional hiring intentions. Argentina continued to face challenges with the weakest global outlook at 3%.
Within Europe and the Middle East, hiring expectations remain the lowest at 19%, though they showed a gradual improvement from previous periods.
The United Arab Emirates (48%) tops global rankings in its first survey participation, with the Netherlands (30%) and Ireland (29%) also reporting robust outlooks. Several countries show year-over-year improvements, including Israel (+13 points) and Sweden (+12 points).