IT sector, Americas lead global hiring outlook for 2025 – ManpowerGroup survey
WISCONSIN, UNITED STATES — Employers worldwide are cautiously optimistic about hiring in early 2025, with North America and the IT industry driving the strongest growth.
According to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey (MEOS), global hiring intentions remain steady, with a Net Employment Outlook of 25%.
The survey, which polled 40,413 employers across 42 countries, revealed that 41% of employers expect to increase staffing, while 40% anticipate no changes, and 16% foresee reductions.
Americas lead regional employment growth
Regionally, employers in the Americas stand out with the highest hiring intentions, boasting a Net Employment Outlook of 29%. The IT sector in the region leads globally with an impressive 53% outlook. North America (32%) drives this momentum, followed by South and Central America (23%).
Asia-Pacific ranks second among regions, with a 27% hiring outlook, while Europe, the Middle East, and Africa trail at 19%. On a national level, India (40%) tops global hiring expectations, followed by the United States (34%) and Mexico (32%).
IT sector dominates global hiring plans
Among industries, the Information Technology sector leads with a robust hiring outlook of 37%, followed by Financials & Real Estate at 33%. Large organizations with 250-999 employees show the strongest confidence, reporting a hiring outlook of 31%.
“The fluctuations we have seen in recent quarters are beginning to stabilize, indicating employers have adapted to ongoing economic uncertainty and are maintaining steady workforce planning,” said Jonas Prising, ManpowerGroup Chair & CEO.
“The sustained strength in the IT sector and consistent hiring intentions among larger organizations point to stability too—and we hope to see this trend continue into 2025.”
The survey’s findings come amid a year of high-profile layoffs across industries, including tech giants like Sony, eBay, and AMD. Despite this, companies appear committed to retaining existing talent while cautiously planning for growth.
