For the first quarter of 2026, some 29% of employers in Hungary plan to expand their workforce, while 20% expect to reduce headcount, the survey found. The outlook points to cautious optimism among businesses as economic activity shows signs of stabilizing.

The findings are part of ManpowerGroup’s quarterly Employment Outlook Survey. In Hungary, the survey was based on a representative sample of 525 employers who were asked about their hiring intentions for the first quarter of 2026.

From the difference between the share of employers planning to increase and decrease staffing levels, Manpower calculates its net employment outlook, adjusted for seasonal effects. In Hungary, the indicator reached an average of +11%, up two percentage points from the previous quarter and seven points higher than six months earlier.

“Analysts’ forecasts for 2026 already assume GDP growth of 2-3%, and the companies’ newly revealed expectations, showing cautious optimism, also project the slow start of growth,” said Péter Varga, managing director of Manpower Hungary.

“Although the majority of companies are already preparing for a renewed upturn in their markets, this trend is not yet uniform. Manufacturing, as well as the trade and logistics sectors that employ a significant workforce, are currently planning slightly below-average hiring, while companies operating in the automotive industry are expecting stagnant headcount in the next quarter as well,” he explained.

Strongest Growth

The strongest employment growth is expected in hospitality, which is starting from a low base, with a net employment outlook of +34%. Utilities and natural resources follow at +31%, with finance and insurance at +19%. In the latter sector, the launch of new subsidized loan programs may have supported expansion plans.

Manufacturing (+10%) and trade and logistics (+8%) are forecasting growth close to but below the national average. Similar increases are expected in construction and real estate (+9%), information services (+8%), tech and IT (+7%), and public, healthcare and social services (+7%). Automotive companies anticipate flat employment levels, while professional, scientific and technical services show a contraction trend with a -7% outlook.

Regional differences remain pronounced. Employer expectations are above average in Central Hungary (+30%), the Northern Great Plain (+24%), Northern Hungary (+22%), Central Transdanubia (+17%) and the Southern Great Plain (+16%). Staffing levels are expected to rise more slowly in Budapest (+4%), while stagnation is projected in Southern Transdanubia (-1%) and a decline in Western Transdanubia (-6%).

SMEs employing between 10 and 249 people plan above-average expansion, with outlooks of 17-18%. In contrast, microbusinesses and large corporations with more than 250 employees are planning growth well below the national average.

While 74% of Hungarian companies reported some challenges filling open positions due to a lack of suitably qualified candidates, only 17% described the problem as significant. That share is four to five percentage points lower than a year earlier. Skills gaps are most acute in roles requiring AI expertise, as well as in manufacturing, engineering, and sales and marketing.

To address shortages, employers most commonly rely on retraining and upskilling existing staff, cited by 35% of respondents. About 26% plan to increase wages to attract new hires, down from 30% a year ago. Flexible working hours (20%) and remote work options (17%) are also used, while 14% of companies apply automation and AI to replace skilled labor, up slightly from 2024.

This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of January 16, 2026.