Employers Tighten Focus on AI and Human Skills as Global Tech Hiring Moderates

Latest Experis Tech Talent Outlook reveals a shifting market; overall hiring plans soften by seven points quarter-over-quarter, but demand for AI literacy and communication skills anchors Q3 priorities.

MILWAUKEE, June 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As global tech hiring cools from a strong second quarter, employers remain focused on the skills that matter most: AI capabilities and the human expertise to deploy them effectively. More than 4,000 Tech & IT Services employers across 42 countries report a global Net Employment Outlook (NEO) of 35% for Q3 2026 (July–September), according to the latest Tech Talent Outlook from Experis, part of the ManpowerGroup family of brands.

While hiring plans remain positive, the result represents a seven-point cooling from the previous quarter and a one-point dip year-over-year, signaling a shift toward more deliberate, skills-focused team expansion. Fifty percent of employers plan to add staff in Q3, while 33% plan to maintain current levels. Globally, Puerto Rico (68%), Brazil (53%), and the United Kingdom (51%) post the strongest Outlooks. In the United States, the Q3 tech-sector NEO stands at 47%, above the global average and reflecting continued confidence in tech hiring among U.S. employers.

"The Q3 data reflects a tech labor market that is being deliberate, not retreating, with global hiring intentions virtually unchanged from a year ago," said Kye Mitchell, President of Experis U.S. "Talent has become the limiting factor in technology transformation. The organizations that will win in the AI era are not necessarily the ones investing the most in technology; they will be the ones that build, buy, and develop talent faster than their competitors. In the U.S. and globally, the biggest challenge is no longer the technology itself. It's helping people and processes evolve alongside it."

Key Global Findings

• Hiring Picture: 50% of the more than 4,000 tech employers surveyed across 42 countries plan to add staff in Q3, while 15% anticipate a decrease and 33% expect to keep workforce levels steady, resulting in a seasonally adjusted NEO of 35%.

• Top Technical Skills in Demand: AI Modeling & App Development is the most sought-after technical capability (34%), followed by AI Literacy (30%) and Traditional IT & Data (29%).

• Top Human Skills in Demand: Communication, Collaboration & Teamwork ranks as the most critical human skill (41%), followed by Professionalism & Work Ethic (37%) and Adaptability & Willingness to Learn (34%).

• Responding to Scarcity: 95% of employers are deploying a mix of strategies to address ongoing shortages. The most common actions are upskilling and reskilling current employees (30%), offering greater work location flexibility (24%), and increasing wages (22%).

Regional Highlights

Tech hiring expectations vary significantly across geographies, with some markets holding strong while others show continued caution.

The Americas

• Puerto Rico leads all countries globally with a Q3 NEO of 68%, up 45 points year-over-year, followed by Brazil (53%) and the United States (47%).
• Panama (-1%) is the only Americas market to report a negative Outlook.

Asia Pacific

• Vietnam (50%) and India (47%) reflect robust demand for tech and IT talent, with Australia (33%) and China (39%) posting moderate but positive Outlooks.
• Hong Kong (-10%) reports the weakest Outlook in the region, reflecting ongoing economic caution.

Europe and the Middle East

• The United Kingdom leads the region at 51%, up four points year-over-year, followed by Israel (42%) and Czech Republic (40%), which posted a quarter-over-quarter gain of +27 points.
• Romania (-11%) and Slovakia (-10%) report the weakest Outlooks globally, reflecting continued economic caution across parts of Central and Eastern Europe.

To view the full Q3 2026 Experis Tech Talent Outlook, including detailed global findings, visit www.experis.com/en/tech-talent-outlook.

The next report, covering Q4 2026 hiring expectations, will be released in September 2026.

ABOUT THE EXPERIS TECH TALENT OUTLOOK

This research is based on results from the ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey — the longest running, most comprehensive, forward-looking employment survey of its kind, used globally as a key labor market indicator. ManpowerGroup interviewed 4,497 Tech & IT Services employers across 42 countries on hiring intentions for the third quarter of 2026.

SURVEY METHODOLOGY

Survey responses were collected from April 1–30, 2026. Size of organization and sector are standardized across all countries and territories to allow international comparisons.

ABOUT THE TALENT SHORTAGE SURVEY

ManpowerGroup's 2026 Talent Shortage Survey interviewed 39,063 employers across 41 countries to understand global hiring challenges and skills gaps. The fieldwork was completed in all markets between October 1 – 31, 2025.

ABOUT EXPERIS

Experis^®, a global leader in technology services, provides the experience and expertise to shorten the distance between innovation and business impact in a digital world. Experis is guided by the principle that only human ingenuity can unlock the true potential of advanced technologies like AI. For clients, Experis offers the right mix of talent and technology to accelerate progress and deliver real-world results. For individuals, Experis has the insight, size, and scale to help tech professionals expand their skills, increase their value, and find the right opportunities. By matching talent to technology in transformative ways, Experis creates brighter futures for everyone. Experis is part of the ManpowerGroup^®  (NYSE:MAN) family of brands, which also includes Manpower and Talent Solutions.  

For more information, visit www.experis.com, or follow us on LinkedIn.  

ABOUT MANPOWERGROUP

ManpowerGroup^® (NYSE:MAN), the leading global workforce solutions company, helps organizations transform in a fast-changing world of work by sourcing, assessing, developing, and managing the talent that enables them to win. We develop innovative solutions for hundreds of thousands of organizations every year, providing them with skilled talent while finding meaningful, sustainable employment for millions of people across a wide range of industries and skills. Our expert family of brands – Manpower, Experis, and Talent Solutions – creates substantially more value for candidates and clients across more than 70 countries and territories and has done so for more than 75 years. We are recognized consistently as a best place to work for Women, Inclusion, Equality, and Disability, and in 2026 ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the 17th time; all confirming our position as the brand of choice for in-demand talent. 

For more information, visit www.manpowergroup.com, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Bluesky. 

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This report contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding labor demand in certain regions, countries and industries, and economic uncertainty. Actual events or results may differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, due to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. These factors include those found in the Company's reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the information under the heading "Risk Factors" in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, whose information is incorporated herein by reference. ManpowerGroup disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking or other statements in this release, except as required by law.

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SOURCE ManpowerGroup