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The Global Employment Outlook for Q1 2025 shows steady hiring trends, with a Net Employment Outlook (NEO) of 25%. This highlights businesses’ ability to adapt to economic uncertainties. North America and Asia-Pacific are leading the way, while industries like IT and financial services drive growth. Organisations should prioritise agility, diversity, and technology to stay competitive in this dynamic market.

Key Findings from the Global Employment Outlook Report

1. Global Hiring Intentions Remain Resilient

  • The Net Employment Outlook (NEO) for Q1 2025 stands at a strong 25%, signalling steady hiring optimism. This figure remains consistent from the previous quarter but has decreased by 1% year-over-year. The NEO, derived by subtracting the percentage of employers expecting staff reductions from those planning to hire, highlights the global stabilisation of hiring trends. Notably, employers in 12 countries reported stronger hiring intentions compared to the same period last year, while hiring outlooks weakened in 28 countries and remained unchanged in one. This balanced picture indicates that businesses worldwide are adapting to ongoing uncertainties.

2. North America Leads the Way

  • North America shows the highest regional hiring demand at 32%, driven by robust activity in the thriving IT sector. Within this region, the United States continues to dominate with a 34% hiring outlook, reflecting its dynamic labour market. In contrast, Argentina faces economic challenges, reporting the only negative hiring outlook (-1%).

3. India Drives Asia-Pacific Growth

  • The Asia-Pacific region boasts a strong 27% NEO, maintaining stability from the previous quarter. India continues to shine with an extraordinary 40% hiring outlook, the highest globally. Singapore emerges as a leader in the transport, logistics, and automotive sectors, showcasing a remarkable 67% hiring outlook, underscoring the region’s strength in supply chain and logistics.

4. EMEA Faces Challenges

  • The Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region struggles with the lowest regional outlook at 19%, marking a 2% decline from Q4 2024 and a 1% year-over-year dip. Despite this, certain industries in EMEA show promise. For instance, Belgium leads the financial and real estate sector with a 53% outlook, and energy and utilities also perform well with a 44% outlook. Spain’s IT sector is notably competitive, achieving a 27% NEO, reflecting increased investment and education in technical skills.

5. Americas Show Mixed Results

  • While the United States shines with a 34% outlook, Argentina sees hiring declines, registering a negative 1%. This disparity highlights the diverse conditions within the Americas. Mexico demonstrates strong hiring intentions at 32%, contributing to the region’s overall 29% NEO, which shows a slight sequential improvement but a year-over-year decline of 3%.

6. IT, Financials, and Real Estate Dominate Industry Growth

  • The Information Technology sector leads with 37% hiring intentions, followed by Financials and Real Estate at 33%. Globally, the IT industry’s hiring outlook improved by 2% compared to both the previous quarter and the same time last year. Conversely, sectors like Education and Agriculture face subdued hiring trends, emphasising the need for targeted strategies in these areas.

7. Larger Companies Lead Hiring Intentions

Larger Companies Lead Hiring Intentions
  • Organizations with 250-999 employees lead hiring intentions with a 31% outlook, followed by those with 1,000-4,999 employees at 29%. These figures highlight the resilience of larger companies, which benefit from greater scalability and resources to navigate uncertain markets.

8. Progress in Gender Equality

  • There has been significant progress in workplace equality. 30% of companies report achieving gender balance, an improvement from 24% last year. This progress reflects a growing focus on diversity and inclusion, particularly as companies recognise the value of adaptable and skilled workforces to navigate economic changes.

Recommendations for Businesses

1. Focus on High-Growth Industries

  • To capitalise on growth, businesses should prioritise recruitment in booming sectors like IT, Financials, and Real Estate. Offshore recruiting can be instrumental in building specialised talent pools for these industries.

2. Target Regions with Strong Hiring Intentions

  • Invest heavily in regions like North America and Asia-Pacific, particularly in India’s flourishing job market.
  • Develop bespoke strategies for regions with weaker hiring trends, such as EMEA, to overcome specific challenges.

3. Embrace Workforce Agility

  • Adopt flexible staffing models to respond to fluctuating demands across industries and regions quickly.
  • Partnering with offshore recruiting services ensures businesses can scale efficiently and cost-effectively.

4. Prioritize Diversity and Inclusion

  • Strengthen initiatives to close gender gaps, especially in underperforming regions and sectors.
  • Showcase your commitment to diversity in recruitment campaigns to attract top-tier talent.

5. Leverage Technology in Recruitment

  • Use advanced hiring tools and automation technologies to enhance efficiency.
  • Offshore recruiting service providers like IMS People Possible seamlessly integrate these tools to streamline hiring processes for global clients.

How IMS People Possible Can Help?

At IMS People Possible, we are experts in offshore recruiting services tailored to meet your unique business needs. Whether you’re scaling operations in high-demand industries or tackling challenges in less dynamic markets, we ensure your recruitment strategies are optimised for success.

Our team brings the expertise, automation tools, and agility required to navigate the complexities of global hiring. With our support, you can focus on growth while we handle your talent acquisition needs.

Stay ahead with IMS People Possible. Contact us now, and let’s make people possible.