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The survey found that 35% of Hungarian employers expect to increase staff numbers in the coming quarter, while 17% anticipate reductions.
The findings are based on the company’s quarterly survey conducted among nearly 42,000 employers in 42 countries. In Hungary, a representative sample of 540 employers was asked about their hiring intentions for the second quarter.
The Net Employment Outlook indicator — calculated from the difference between companies planning to increase and decrease staff numbers and adjusted for seasonal effects — reached +18%, which is 9 percentage points higher than the previous quarter and 10 percentage points higher than a year earlier.
“An increase of this magnitude clearly signals the strengthening optimism of Hungarian companies regarding the recovery of their markets and the expansion of their economic room for maneuver,” said Péter Varga, managing director of Manpower Hungary.
“Companies operating particularly in construction and real estate, trade and logistics, as well as the financial sector may begin more active recruitment in the near future. It is also a positive change that key industries such as the automotive sector and information technology are planning workforce expansion in large proportions, and in manufacturing — which employs a significant number of workers — the share of companies planning recruitment has also risen to the average level,” he added.
Sector-level data show considerable differences across industries. Workforce growth could significantly exceed the average in construction and real estate (Net Employment Outlook: +30%), trade and logistics (+27%), and finance and insurance (+27%). Technology companies (+26%) and automotive firms (+25%) are also expected to expand their workforce in large numbers.
Hiring plans may remain close to the national average in utilities and natural resources (+20%), manufacturing (+18%), and hospitality (+15%). Meanwhile, organizations in public services and health and social care (+9%) expect more modest growth, while professional, scientific and technical services (-2%) could see a net decline in employment.
Regional differences are also pronounced. Employer expectations are above the national average in Southern Transdanubia (Net Employment Outlook: +42%) and Budapest (+21%), while companies in the Southern Great Plain region (+5%) expect only minimal workforce expansion. In other regions, the share of companies planning to increase staff numbers exceeds those expecting layoffs by 11–17 percentage points.
By company size, hiring intentions are positive across all categories, with firms employing between 1,000 and 5,000 people reporting the strongest expansion plans (Net Employment Outlook: +42%).
Globally, labor market outlooks have also improved compared with the previous quarter. The global indicator currently stands at 31%, which is 6 percentage points higher than in the previous quarter.
No significant decline in employment expectations is forecast in any of the 42 surveyed countries. However, among Hungary’s neighboring countries, employers in Romania (-5%) and Slovakia (+3%) do not expect meaningful workforce expansion overall.
In Europe, the outlook (+21%) remains slightly below the global average. Within the continent, the strongest hiring plans are reported in Sweden (+39%), the Netherlands (+37%), and Ireland (+36%). Outside Europe, the largest workforce expansions are expected in India (+68%), the United Arab Emirates (+60%), Brazil (+55%), India (+52%), Panama (+44%), and Costa Rica (+43%). The corresponding indicator in the United States also rose significantly, from 27% to 38%.
The survey also examined the main reasons behind workforce expansion plans. In 40% of responses, companies cited business growth and market expansion. Meanwhile, 29% said they are planning to refill positions that remained vacant after employees left, while 26% indicated they are entering new market segments and hiring staff for newly created roles.
Artificial intelligence is also playing an increasingly important role in workforce strategies. Among Hungarian companies surveyed, 31% said they see the added value of AI primarily in learning and development, while 12% highlighted planning and forecasting, and 11% ranked improving team performance as the most important benefit.
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