“Companies make staffing decisions with even greater caution, focusing on operational efficiency, cost optimization and ensuring business continuity. They plan team expansion less often and allow reductions or freezes in recruitment more often. In practice this means focusing on key positions, changes in work organization and more frequent internal transfers than before” – said the managing director of Gi Group Holding, Marcos Segador Arrebola.
The report shows that it is expected to increase the number of full-time positions in the next quarter 13.7 percententerprises, while a year ago it indicated yes 16.7 percent At the same time, the percentage of companies anticipating reductions increased from 4.9 percent down 9.8 percent This is the highest result since 2017.
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“As in previous years, most surveyed companies declare maintaining the current level of employment – 72.2 percent enterprises, although here too there is a slight decline year on year,” the report indicates.
These industries are looking for employees
They most often plan to increase employment trading companies – 19 percent — and services – 15 percent Among manufacturing enterprises, this percentage was 11%.
The production sector is dominated by stabilization – 78%. enterprises want to maintain the current number of employees, and a significant number of companies want to implement these plans through active recruitment. According to experts, this may indicate: higher employee turnover and the need to constantly supplement staff shortages. In turn, in the public sector, 7 percent plan to increase employment. organizations, while 13 percent announces reductions.
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Management staff wanted
They declare the greatest readiness to increase employment medium and large companies — 14 and 16 percent, respectively. In both cases, however, this means a decrease compared to last year, when 20 percent had such plans. medium-sized and 19 percent large organizations. Smaller companies, however, focus on maintaining the current level of employment and approach new recruitments more carefully.
Companies that plan to increase employment will focus primarily on acquiring middle-level (57.8%) and lower-level employees (44.8%). In the opinion of the authors of the report, the high increase in interest in recruiting management staff is noteworthy – over 16 percent have such plans. enterprises, while a year ago it was 11.8% and two years earlier – 7%.
Companies declare difficulties with recruitment
Despite companies' limited readiness to employ, 45.7 percent enterprises admit that in recent months had difficulty recruiting at least one group of employees. Most often, employers indicated problems with finding qualified senior staff – 14.3 percent; in the case of lower-level employees and recruitment for all job levels, the percentage of such responses was 12 percent each. However, 10 percent companies have trouble finding middle-level employees.
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Recruitment challenges are mainly faced by medium-sized companies operating in the trade. Small companies relatively more often indicate problems with recruiting senior staff, while large organizations – lower-level employees.
The most frequently cited reason for difficulties with recruitment is: too high financial expectations of candidates — 50 percent indicated so. surveyed companies having problems with recruiting employees. The next places were taken by mismatched or insufficient competencies of candidates – 44.6%. indications, resignations during the recruitment process – 35.2 percent and lack of candidates – 33.5 percent.
The “Labor Market Barometer 2026” report was prepared by Gi Group Holding experts based on employer research conducted by the Market and Opinion Research Agency SW Research on February 25–March 9, 2026.
