ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey UK
42% OF BUSINESSES HOLD FIRE ON HEADCOUNT CHANGES
WHILE HIRING VOLUME DECLINES BY -27% AMIDST ECONOMIC CHALLENGES
CHANGES IN HIRING VOLUME BY BUSINESS SIZE
REASONS DRIVING EMPLOYER HIRING
TOP 5 HARDEST TO FIND SKILLS
Of those employers who do expect a change in headcount, their planned hiring volume is down -27% on the quarter, with plenty of businesses holding back on recruiting until they’ve taken full stock of cost increases expected in April.
Because of this, we’re anticipating the UK’s hiring recession will remain an issue until summer at the earliest. Offering opportunities to upskill and finding ways to keep teams motivated and energised will drive much-needed productivity during this period of stagnation.
Questions were multiple choice. Employers may indicate more than one reason.
Michael Stull
Managing Director
ManpowerGroup UK
Find the talent and solutions you need
To discuss the MEOS results or explore how ManpowerGroup can help you find the talent and solutions needed to propel your organisation forward.
read more from manpowergroup
ABOUT THE SURVEY
The ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey is the most comprehensive, forward-looking employment survey of its kind, used globally as a key labour market indicator. Running since 1962, various factors underpin its success:
Unique: It is unparalleled in its size, scope, longevity and area of focus. 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.
Independent: The survey is conducted with a representative sample of employers from throughout the countries and territories in which it is conducted. The survey participants are not derived from ManpowerGroup’s customer base.
Robust: The survey is based on interviews with 39,449 public and private employers across 41 countries to measure anticipated employment trends each quarter. This sample allows for analysis to be performed across specific sectors and regions to provide more detailed information.
Focused: For more than six decades, the Survey has derived all its information from a single question: “How do you anticipate total employment at your location to change in the three months to the end of June 2025 as compared to the current quarter?”
Survey Methodology: Survey responses were collected from January 2-31, 2025. Size of organisation and sector are standardised across all countries and territories to allow international comparisons.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Follow us
©2025 ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey
Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Cookie Notice
How is hiring volume calculated?
After an employer has indicated that they will be increasing or decreasing headcount in the coming quarter, they are asked by how many total workers they expect headcount to increase or decrease at their organisation. The percentage change against last quarter is calculated by comparing the current quarter’s reported hiring volume against the previous quarter.
How are companies selected for the Survey?
Employers are selected based on the types of companies and organisations they represent. We want to ensure that our panel is representative of each participating country’s national labor market, so each country’s panel is built in proportion to that country’s overall distribution of industry sectors and organisation sizes.
Who do you interview in each company?
The person we select to interview will be someone with a good overview of staffing levels and hiring intentions within their organisation. Normally, this will be the head of human resources (HR) or an HR manager. In smaller organisations, however, that person may be a general manager or even the CEO.
What are forward-looking statements?
This report contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding labor demand in certain regions, countries and industries, economic uncertainty and the use and impact of AI. 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, 2023, 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.
HIRING VOLUME TO DECLINE -27% ACROSS UK IN Q2
AVERAGE EMPLOYER HIRING VOLUME VS Q1 2025
UK employers are continuing to kick major hiring decisions into the long grass, with 42% of organisations planning no changes to their headcount for Q2 (April – June) 2025.
Among those who are planning to change headcount, our data reveals an average -27% decrease in hiring volume versus Q1 2025.
HEADCOUNT NOT CHANGING IN Q2
AVERAGE EMPLOYER HIRING VOLUME VS Q1 2025 BY BUSINESS SIZE
WHAT ARE THE MAIN REASONS DRIVING EMPLOYERS TO
LEAVE HEADCOUNT UNCHANGED IN Q2?
WHO WILL EMPLOYERS BE HIRING FOR IN Q2?
WHO WILL EMPLOYERS BE HIRING FOR IN Q1?
2025 UK Talent Shortage: 76%
Questions were multiple choice. Employers may indicate more than one seniority.
ManpowerGroup 2025 UK Talent Shortage
The talent shortage is derived by asking employers if they are having difficulty filling vacancies due to a lack of available talent in the labour market. The higher the figure, the greater the percentage of employers surveyed who reported difficulty filling roles due to being unable to find candidates with the skills they need.
TOP 5 HARDEST TO FIND SKILLS 2024 VS 2025
2024
2025
ManpowerGroup Talent Shortage Survey 2025
Press Release: MEOS Q2 2025
READ NOW
CONTACT US
READ NOW
Blog: The state of the labour Market Q2 2025
READ NOW
Total Workforce Index™ 2024
READ NOW
Global Talent Barometer UK Report
READ NOW
ManpowerGroup Talent Shortage Survey 2025
DOWNLOAD NOW
Download MEOS Q2 2025 Report as PDF
VIEW PREVIOUS QUARTER
Surveyed prior to the 2024 Budget announcement, UK employers indicated a cautious growth mindset for Q1 (January – March).
This growth failed to materialise amidst suboptimal economic indicators and a rising cost of hiring following the Budget.
HEADCOUNT NOT CHANGING IN Q2
AVERAGE EMPLOYER HIRING VOLUME VS Q4 2024 BY BUSINESS SIZE
Hiring Volume Q1 2025 vs Q4 2024
AVERAGE EMPLOYER HIRING VOLUME VS Q4 2024
VIEW PREVIOUS QUARTER
WHAT ARE THE MAIN REASONS DRIVING EMPLOYERS TO
DECREASE HEADCOUNT IN Q2?
WHAT ARE THE MAIN REASONS DRIVING EMPLOYERS TO
INCREASE HEADCOUNT IN Q2?
VIEW HEADCOUNT
INCREASE
VIEW
HEADCOUNT DECREASE
To view past publications of the MEOS and related content click here
