SURGE IN UK BUSINESSES SET TO HIRE IN Q3

• ManpowerGroup data highlights willingness to hire
• UK has fourth most positive hiring outlook globally
• In a boost for young people, nearly half of UK businesses plan to hire for entry level jobs

London, UK (9.06.26): UK employers are reporting strong hiring intentions for the third quarter of 2026, with 37% of businesses planning to recruit. The findings from the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey (MEOS) show a Net Employment Outlook (NEO) of 37, up 10 percentage points quarter-on-quarter and 18 percentage points year-on-year.

While 49% of employers expect to increase staffing levels, 12% expect to reduce headcount, 35% expect no change and 4% are unsure. These results place the UK’s hiring intentions fourth globally, behind India and Puerto Rico (joint first with an NEO of 48), the US (45) and Brazil (38) and 11 points above the global average.

Michael Stull, UK Managing Director, ManpowerGroup UK: “UK businesses are realising the need for people. Uncertainty has dominated the UK economy and job market for months, but that is not sustainable for businesses, employees or the consumer. That’s why we are seeing the needle shifting in terms of a willingness to hire.”

What is happening in the industries?

The increase in hiring intent is visible across the board.  Among the nine sectors surveyed, Information leads at 46%, followed by Construction & Real Estate at 43%. In contrast, Public Sector, Health & Social Services at 29% and Hospitality at 12% are lagging behind.

The sector picture is stronger than last quarter overall, but not uniform. Hiring intentions strengthen quarter-on-quarter in eight of the nine core sectors, while Finance & Insurance is the only sector to record a decline, slipping from 38% to 36%.

Industries		NEO
		Q3 2025	Q2 2026	Q3 2026
Country	U.K.	19	27	37
Sectors	Construction & Real Estate	31	29	43
	Finance & Insurance	28	38	36
	Hospitality	14	6	12
	Information	19	38	46
	Manufacturing	24	34	40
	Professional, Scientific & Technical Services	38	37	40
	Public Sector, Health & Social Services	6	12	29
	Trade & Logistics	14	28	33
	Utilities & Natural Resources	11	31	40

What is happening in the regions?

The North-West records the strongest outlook at 48% – the highest in the country. The North-East follows at 46%, Northern Ireland at 45% and Wales records the sharpest quarter-on-quarter improvement, rising 21 points to 29%. The South-West is the only region to decline quarter-on-quarter, although it remains positive and above its level a year ago. In comparison, London reports an outlook of 32% showing that hiring is stronger outside of the capital.

Do hiring plans vary across organisation size?

Organisations of all sizes are reporting positive hiring intentions, but the strongest activity is concentrated in the mid-market and upper mid-market. Employers with 250 to 999employees lead with an outlook of 43%, followed closely by those with 50 to 249 employees at 42%.

Employers with 10 to 49 employees report 35%, those with 1,000 to 4,999 employees report 30% and organisations with 5,000 or more employees report 25%. In contrast, employers with fewer than 10 employees report the lowest outlook, at 24%.

Stull continues: “Although there is a willingness to hire, the picture is not clear cut. We know that hiring will not be on a mass scale – instead we expect many businesses to hire in single figures – and we also anticipate that businesses will be recruiting for roles which they’ve delayed filling. Despite these nuances, it is still extremely positive to see that there is an appetite to hire in the UK and the same cannot be said for other markets globally. So, while the UK is far from out of the woods, our research points to a more hopeful outlook.”

Who are businesses looking for?

The findings suggest that employers are hiring across a range of seniority levels. 47% say they expect to recruit for entry-level roles, 39% for non-management individual contributor positions, and 30% for low-level management or supervisor roles.

Stull concludes: “It is well reported that the UK has a deep-rooted youth unemployment issue, which cannot be solved overnight. It will require fundamental change across all parts of the jobs ecosystem. However, I am encouraged to see that nearly half of those surveyed plan to recruit entry-level roles. This is a step – albeit small – in the right direction.”

ENDS