Survey: 31% of surveyed employers in Hong Kong plan to increase staff in the first quarter of next year, while 29% expect to reduce staff

ManpowerGroup Hong Kong announced the "Employment Outlook Survey" for the first quarter of 2026, which shows that Hong Kong employers expect a positive hiring intention for the first quarter of next year, but are becoming more conservative. Among the 506 employers surveyed, 31% budget to increase their workforce in the next three months, while 29% indicated plans to reduce staff; 37% stated they have no plans to adjust their current employee numbers in the upcoming season.

Seasonally adjusted data shows that the employment outlook index for the upcoming season is +2%, a decrease of 5 percentage points quarter-on-quarter, and 22 percentage points lower than the global average. Among them, the employment outlook index for the service and manufacturing sectors is the most optimistic, at +13% and +12%, respectively; however, the professional and technical sector recorded a negative 15%, indicating that the industry is undergoing an accelerated transformation centered on AI and automation, which has led to a decrease in demand for some entry-level positions.

Additionally, the company's survey on talent shortages shows that 66% of Hong Kong enterprises expect difficulties in filling positions due to a lack of talent, a year-on-year decrease of 15 percentage points, marking the lowest level since 2015, reflecting some alleviation of talent shortage pressures, but still at a relatively high level.

Xu Yushan, Senior Vice President of ManpowerGroup Greater China, stated that Hong Kong's economy maintained steady expansion in the third quarter, reflecting continuous improvement in the labor market, although some industries still face transformation challenges. The interest rate cuts in the U.S. starting in September have improved market sentiment, local consumption, and business confidence have rebounded, and government measures continue to support the economy. However, risks such as trade restrictions, the pace of U.S. interest rate cuts, and fluctuations in external demand still need to be monitored