ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey Q4 2026

UK employers defy turbulent year as hiring confidence remains more than double last year’s level.

Our latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey (MEOS) shows UK employers continue to hire despite a year marked by political change, rising employment costs, geopolitical disruption and economic uncertainty. Hiring confidence remains more than double where it was this time last year, highlighting the resilience of the UK labour market.

The headlines

• UK Net Employment Outlook: +23%
• While this represents a moderation from Q3’s exceptional reading of +36%, it is more than double Q4 2025’s outlook (+11%)
• 40% of employers plan to increase staffing levels in Q4
• Every UK region reports stronger hiring intentions than a year ago

What’s driving demand?

Businesses remain committed to investing in talent, with hiring expectations remaining positive across all sectors.

• All nine sectors expect staffing levels to increase in Q4
• Information leads the UK with a +34% hiring outlook
• Hospitality records the largest year-on-year improvement (+20 points)
• Trade & Logistics (+19 points) and Construction & Real Estate (+18 points) also see significant annual growth

Lee Chant, Managing Director, ManpowerGroup UK & Ireland, says:

“At first glance, the story looks like hiring confidence has fallen, but that’s only true if you compare it to one of the strongest quarters we’ve ever seen.

“The real story is how employers have responded to the past 12 months. Businesses have faced political change, rising employment costs, geopolitical disruption and no shortage of uncertainty, yet they have continued to invest in people and plan for growth.

“Many would have expected confidence to weaken much further. Instead, UK employers have shown a level of resilience that shouldn’t be underestimated.”

Where is growth happening?

• Every UK region reports stronger hiring intentions than a year ago
• East of England records the strongest outlook at +35%
• East of England also posts the largest annual improvement, rising 40 percentage points year-on-year
• Continued investment in infrastructure, technology, energy, defence and local development projects is helping drive demand for skills nationwide

Who’s hiring and who they want

Hiring confidence has strengthened across organisations of every size.

• Large organisations (250-999 employees) report the strongest outlook at +31%
• Enterprises with 5,000+ employees show the biggest year-on-year improvement (+23 points)
• The UK ranks fifth globally for year-on-year hiring growth among large enterprises
• Entry-level talent remains the most in-demand, with 43% of employers planning to hire for entry-level roles in Q4.

Get the full picture

The full MEOS report breaks down:

• Sector-by-sector hiring trends
• Regional insights
• Talent demand by role and seniority
• Hiring intentions by business size