08/28/2026
🔎 Hiring outlook for the second half of 2026: positive, but challenging.
U.S. employers remain optimistic about hiring, with 84% of hiring managers feeling positive about their company’s hiring outlook for the rest of 2026.
Key takeaways:
- 60% of companies plan to increase headcount.
- 44% have open positions they are currently struggling to fill.
- 42% expect challenges finding qualified candidates.
- 49% anticipate challenges related to integrating AI into recruitment and hiring.
Hiring growth is mainly driven by increased workloads, newly created positions, employee turnover and business expansion.
The message is clear: job opportunities remain available, but connecting the right talent with the right roles is becoming increasingly complex.
For employers, this means adapting recruitment strategies and investing in talent. For job seekers, it highlights the value of developing skills aligned with evolving market needs.
📌 At a time when talent shortages and technology are reshaping the labor market, the right hiring strategy can make all the difference.
Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll: Growing workloads, newly created positions and turnover are driving demand through year-end.