"We're running out of snappy ledes about how the labor market has roiled from economic challenges...and it seems we're going to need to get creative. While slightly more employers plan to hire in Q1 2026 than in Q4 2025, many anticipate continuing to hold off, citing economic uncertainty, a new ManpowerGroup survey found. Forty-three percent of employers plan to increase their staff in Q1 2026, while 16% are planning reductions, according to the survey, which tracked responses from 6,000-plus employers in the US."
"Growth. For the 43% of employers planning to expand in Q1 2026, the business outlook seems optimistic: 37% said they plan to hire to facilitate organizational growth, while another 26% said they're pursuing new business areas. Only 19% attributed hiring plans to backfilling positions. It's a "super positive sign" that employers are focused on hiring for growth and not simply to make up for attrition, Raj Namboothiry, SVP at Manpower US, told HR Brew."
Forty-three percent of employers plan to increase staff in Q1 2026, 16% expect reductions, and 37% anticipate no change. Hiring intent in Q1 2026 is slightly higher than Q4 2025, when 41% planned increases, 13% planned cuts, and 42% expected no change, and similar to Q1 2025 levels. Among firms planning to expand, 37% will hire for organizational growth, 26% to pursue new business areas, and 19% to backfill positions. Construction and real estate show the strongest net employment outlook (36%), followed by information (32%) and finance and insurance (31%). Economic uncertainty is driving many employers to delay or limit hiring.
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