Download Report
Contents
Q3
ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey
APME FINDINGS
Contents
Download Report
Employer Hiring Sentiment
Outlooks by Vertical
About the Survey
Contents
Download Report
Download Report
Contact Us
Contact Us
Press Release
Press Release
Download Report
Download Report
Dive deeper into data and trends, including pay equity and beyond.
Download the world's most comprehensive employment survey.
This website and its materials contain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding labor demand in certain regions, countries and industries, and economic uncertainty. Actual events or results may differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, due to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. These factors include those found in the Company's reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the information under the heading "Risk Factors" in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, whose information is incorporated herein by reference. ManpowerGroup disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking or other statements in this release, except as required by law.
Forward-Looking Statements
Survey responses were collected from April 1-30, 2026. The size of organizations and sectors are standardized across all countries to allow international comparisons.
ManpowerGroup has introduced an updated industry sector classification to ensure our insights more closely reflect today’s global economy. Beginning with the Q1 2026 release, data is reported across nine sectors: Construction & Real Estate; Finance & Insurance; Hospitality; Information; Manufacturing; Professional, Scientific & Technical Services; Public Sector, Health & Social Services; Trade & Logistics; and Utilities & Natural Resources. Historical data has been reclassified to maintain consistency over time, and national and regional results remain unchanged.
For more than six decades the survey has derived all of its information from a single question (Q3 2026 example):
“How do you anticipate total employment at your location to change in the three months to the end of September 2026 as compared to the current quarter?"
This sample allows for analysis to be performed across specific sectors and regions to provide more detailed information.
The survey is based on interviews with more than 40,000 public and private employers across 42 countries to measure anticipated employment trends each quarter.
The survey is conducted with a representative sample of employers from throughout the countries in which it is conducted. The survey participants are not derived from ManpowerGroup’s customer base.
The ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey is the most extensive, forward-looking employment survey in the world, asking employers to forecast employment over the next quarter. In contrast, other surveys and studies focus on retrospective data to report on what occurred in the past.
It is unparalleled in its size, scope, longevity and area of focus.
Survey Methodology
Focused
Robust
Independent
Unique
The ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey is the most comprehensive, forward-looking employment survey of its kind, used globally as a key labor market indicator. Running since 1962, various factors underpin the success of the Survey:
About the Survey
Public Sector, Health & Social Services
+ Past Results
+ Past Results
Utilities & Natural Resources
+ Past Results
+ Past Results
Trade & Logistics
+ Past Results
+ Past Results
Hospitality
+ Past Results
+ Past Results
Manufacturing
+ Past Results
+ Past Results
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services
+ Past Results
+ Past Results
Construction & Real Estate
+ Past Results
+ Past Results
Information
+ Past Results
+ Past Results
Q1 2026
35%
Q4 2025
33%
Q3 2025
32%
28%
Finance & Insurance
NEO
35%
+ Past Results
+ Past Results
Outlooks by Industry Vertical
India
48%
Strongest NEO
China
33%
Vietnam*
28%
28% NEO
- 11
points QoQ
- 1
point YoY
Asia Pacific
Hiring demand across the region is driven by employers in:
39%
Information
40%
Organizations with 1,000-4,999 employees
Israel
26%
Strongest NEO
Sweden
34%
16% NEO
- 7
points QoQ
- 3
points YoY
Europe & The Middle East
Hiring demand across the region is driven by employers in:
25%
Constructions & Real Estate
24%
Organizations with 250-999 employees
Brazil
37%
Strongest NEO
U.S.
45%
Organizations with 250-999 employees
43%
Information
41%
Hiring demand across the region is driven by employers in:
points YoY
+ 7
points QoQ
- 3
34% NEO
Americas
Asia Pacific
Europe & Middle East
Americas
Top Global Employment Outlooks by Region
Changes Over Time
1%
Were Unsure
41%
Reported
No Change
15%
Anticipated a Decrease
To understand the overall impact on hiring, referred to as the Net Employment Outlook (NEO), the percentage of employers expecting to decrease staffing levels is subtracted from those intending to increase hiring.
Net Employment Outlook Results
Q3 2026
The Equation
The Net Employment Outlook (NEO) measures the % difference between expected increases and decreases in staffing for the quarter.
What Sets It Apart
The ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey is the world’s most comprehensive and forward-looking employment survey, serving as a trusted labor market indicator since 1962.
What Is It?
shared whether their staffing levels would remain unchanged, increase through new hiring, or decrease due to anticipated departures.
More than 40,000 employers
Understanding the Survey
Q3 Employer Hiring Sentiment
year-on-year (YoY)
0
quarter-on-quarter (QoQ)
POINTS
Executive Summary
-
=
%
%
NEO
Expected Staffing Increase
Expected Staffing Decrease
26%
31%
29%
41%
32%
Q3 2026
Q3 2025
Q4 2025
Q1 2026
28%
23%
27%
31%
Q3 2025
Q4 2025
Q1 2026
34%
32%
25%
33%
23%
Q3 2025
Q4 2025
Q1 2026
Q2 2026
23%
22%
25%
30%
26%
Q3 2025
Q4 2025
Q1 2026
Q2 2026
21%
30%
24%
22%
14%
Q3 2026
Q3 2025
Q4 2025
Q1 2026
21%
21%
23%
33%
23%
Q3 2025
Q4 2025
Q1 2026
Q2 2026
16%
20%
22%
27%
24%
Q3 2025
Q4 2025
Q1 2026
Q2 2026
18%
15%
19%
24%
18%
Q3 2025
Q4 2025
Q1 2026
Q2 2026
NEO
36%
NEO
25%
NEO
32%
NEO
30%
NEO
NEO
22%
NEO
33%
NEO
15%
View data from all 42 countries >
29%
Q2 2026
Q2 2026
Q2 2026
Q3 2026
Q3 2026
Q2 2026
Q3 2026
Q3 2025
Q3 2026
*The NEOs for Chile, the U.A.E., and Vietnam are currently unadjusted and will be seasonally adjusted after sixteen quarters of data.
FAQ
FAQ
-10
POINTS
Share
2026
The unadjusted NEO is then seasonally adjusted to remove predictable hiring fluctuations and ensure consistent comparisons across regions and time periods. The seasonally adjusted figures are used throughout the remainder of these materials unless otherwise noted.
The U.K.
37%
35%
Q3 2026
Q3 2026
Puerto Rico 48%
20%
The Q3 2026 APME Net Employment Outlook decreased since the previous quarter (-10 points) and remained unchanged compared to same time last year.
as they forecast Q3 staffing changes in the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey.
28%
countries reported a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of
11
employers across
13,100
2026
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
43%
Anticipated an Increase