Global tech employers plan to keep hiring at a steady pace heading into the fourth quarter of 2026, even as they sharpen their focus on the human skills needed to make artificial intelligence investments actually pay off. 4,258 Tech and IT Services employers across 42 countries report a global Net Employment Outlook of 37% for the fourth quarter, according to the latest Tech Talent Outlook from Experis, part of the ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN) family of brands.
The outlook is up two points from the previous quarter and unchanged from a year ago. Of the employers surveyed, 51% plan to increase staffing levels, 34% expect to hold steady, and 14% anticipate reductions; 1% are unsure. The figures come from ManpowerGroup’s Employment Outlook Survey, which the company describes as the longest-running, most comprehensive forward-looking employment survey of its kind. Data for the fourth quarter was collected between July 1 and July 31, 2026.
“Global tech hiring is steady, but the skills employers value most are shifting. What stands out is that in a tech report, the most in-demand skills are human ones. Communication, professionalism, and adaptability all rank above the top technical skill.”
— James Hallahan, Experis Europe Brand Leader
Hallahan continued: “This is human ingenuity at work; the judgment, creativity, and problem-solving that turn AI capability into real value. AI remains central to technology investment, but it’s these human skills that determine whether that investment pays off. The organizations that pull ahead won’t just be the ones adopting AI fastest; they’ll be the ones building the workforce who can apply it.”
Communication, Collaboration and Teamwork ranked as the most sought-after skill overall at 41%, followed by Professionalism and Work Ethic at 37% — both ahead of the top technical skill. On the technical side, AI Modeling and App Development topped the list at 34%, followed by AI Literacy at 30% and Traditional IT and Data skills, excluding AI, at 29%.
Guatemala posted the strongest hiring outlook of any country surveyed this quarter, at 74%, followed by Brazil at 61% and Costa Rica and Puerto Rico, both at 55%. Year over year, hiring expectations strengthened sharply in Guatemala, up 50 points, Panama, up 46 points, and Colombia, up 39 points. The United States reports a 37% outlook, in line with the global average, though hiring intentions there are down 10 points from a year ago. Guatemala and Panama’s figures reflect smaller sample sizes this quarter and should be treated as indicative.
In Asia Pacific, India reports the region’s strongest hiring expectations at 53%, up 10 points year over year, followed by China and Taiwan, both at 33%, and Hong Kong at 31%. In Europe and the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates leads at 47% — a figure that is currently unadjusted and will be seasonally adjusted once sufficient data is available — followed by Sweden at 41% and Israel and Portugal, both at 36%. Hiring expectations declined year over year in Romania and Slovakia, with outlooks of -2% and -8%, respectively.
Experis is ManpowerGroup’s global technology talent and services brand, built around what the company calls Human Ingenuity: the idea that technology delivers its greatest value when paired with the right people, skills and execution. Alongside Experis, the Milwaukee-based ManpowerGroup family of brands includes Manpower and Talent Solutions, operating across more than 70 countries and territories. The next Experis Tech Talent Outlook, covering hiring expectations for the first quarter of 2027, is due out in December 2026.
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