Global employers are maintaining a stable hiring Outlook to start 2026, according to ManpowerGroup’s latest Employment Outlook Survey of more than 39,000 employers across 41 countries. The global Net Employment Outlook (NEO) for the first quarter of 2026 stands at 24%, down 4% year-over-year but rising 4% from the previous quarter.
While 40% of organizations plan to increase staff in Q1, 40% plan to maintain current headcount, and 16% expect to reduce workforce levels.
Among those expanding, the top motivators are organizational growth (37%) and investment in
