Spanish companies head into the second quarter of 2026 with a notable uptick in their hiring plans. According to the ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Study, the net employment outlook in Spain stands at 28%, up nine points from Q1 2026 (19%) and up 13 points versus Q2 2025 (15%). This marks the best reading since Q1 2022 (34%), reinforcing a shift toward a more dynamic, growth-oriented labor market.
In detail, 40% of companies expect to increase their headcount, while 48% plan to keep it unchanged and only 10% foresee a reduction. This combination — a high rate of headcount maintenance and a strong hiring push — reveals a market that continues to stabilize while consolidating new projects and talent needs.
“The Q2 data reflect a turning point in Spain’s employment dynamics. Companies are regaining momentum in their hiring plans and showing a greater willingness to invest in talent to support the growth of their projects. Digitalization, the transformation of production models, and the need for increasingly specialized profiles are driving this trend, pointing to a more active and competitive labor market in the coming months,” said Luis Miguel Jiménez, Chief Executive Officer of Manpower Spain.
Technology Leads in a Broad-Based Growth Context
Sector analysis shows a broad surge in hiring, with Technology (35%) at the forefront, strengthening its share in the job market driven by digitalization and demand for specialized profiles. This rise, 23 points above the previous quarter, positions the sector as the engine of employment in Spain.
Close behind is Construction and Real Estate (34%), down three points from the prior quarter but maintaining solid momentum supported by infrastructure development and real estate activity. Industrial and Logistics activity also shows clear signs of recovery, with Commerce and Logistics (30%) and Industry (29%) in line with improved productive activity. Finances and Insurance (28%) and Hospitality (27%) round out the top spots on the chart.
At the lower end, but also with upward revisions versus the prior quarter, the sectors of Telecom, Media & Entertainment (24%), Health & Public Sector (24%) and Professional Services (23%) maintain clearly positive forecasts, while Energy & Utilities (15%) remains in growth territory, albeit the most modest figure.
Big Companies Set the Pace
By company size, organizations with 1,000 to 4,999 employees lead forecasts at 38%. Next are firms with 5,000 or more employees (31%) and companies with 250 to 999 employees (29%). This pattern reflects large corporations’ ability to accelerate investments and projects, acting as a growth engine for the rest of the business fabric.
Microenterprises (fewer than 10 employees) also stand out, reaching 27%, followed by companies with 50 to 249 employees (26%) and those with 10 to 49 employees (25%). Hiring intentions growth is broad-based across all segments, reflecting a more confident business environment and expansion expectations for the second quarter of the year.
Spain, Five Points Below the Global Average
Globally, hiring forecasts continue on a growth path, reaching a net 31% for Q2 2026, up from 25% in the prior quarter and 24% in the same period of 2025. This result rests on 45% of companies worldwide planning to increase their headcounts, 40% expect to keep them unchanged, and only 13% anticipate reductions, reflecting an expanding climate of business confidence.
Internationally, the highest expectations are seen in India (68%), the United Arab Emirates (60%), and Brazil (55%). At the lower end are Hong Kong (11%), Slovakia (3%), and Romania (-5%), markets showing moderate or negative changes in their hiring forecasts.
