Global technology hiring remains resilient despite signs of moderation, according to the latest Experis Tech Talent Outlook. While employers continue to expand technology teams, the pace of hiring has slowed compared with earlier in the year, reflecting a labor market increasingly focused on specialized AI expertise and workforce readiness rather than broad-based headcount growth. The findings suggest organizations are shifting from aggressive recruitment toward more targeted talent strategies designed to support long-term digital transformation initiatives.
The global technology labor market is entering a more measured phase of growth, with employers prioritizing artificial intelligence skills and workforce adaptability as they navigate evolving business demands.
According to the latest Experis Tech Talent Outlook, based on responses from 4,497 technology and IT services employers across 42 countries, the global Net Employment Outlook (NEO) for the third quarter of 2026 stands at 35%. While the figure remains firmly positive, it represents a seven-point decline from the previous quarter and a slight year-over-year decrease, signaling a shift toward more deliberate hiring practices.
Half of surveyed employers expect to increase staffing levels between July and September, while one-third anticipate maintaining their current workforce. Only 15% expect reductions, indicating that hiring demand remains healthy despite broader economic uncertainty and ongoing productivity gains driven by automation and AI.
For HR leaders and talent acquisition teams, the report highlights a growing reality: technology transformation is increasingly constrained by talent availability rather than technology access.
Experis President Kye Mitchell noted that organizations are recognizing that successful AI adoption depends as much on workforce readiness as it does on technology investments. The challenge facing employers is no longer acquiring advanced tools but developing the people, skills, and organizational processes required to use them effectively.
AI Skills Move to the Center of Hiring Strategies
The survey reveals a notable shift in the skills employers prioritize when building technology teams.
AI Modeling and Application Development emerged as the most in-demand technical capability, cited by 34% of employers. AI Literacy followed closely at 30%, while traditional IT and data skills ranked third at 29%.
The findings reinforce a broader trend across enterprise technology markets. Organizations are increasingly moving beyond experimentation with generative AI and machine learning technologies and toward deployment at scale. As a result, demand is expanding not only for AI engineers and data scientists but also for professionals capable of integrating AI systems into existing workflows, applications, and business processes.
Major technology ecosystems led by companies such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Salesforce, Adobe, and NVIDIA continue to accelerate enterprise AI adoption, increasing demand for workers capable of implementing and managing these platforms.
Industry analysts have repeatedly noted that AI implementation projects often fail due to talent gaps, governance challenges, and organizational readiness issues rather than technology limitations. The Experis findings appear to support that assessment.
Human Skills Become Strategic Assets
One of the report’s most notable findings is the growing importance of human-centered capabilities.
Communication, collaboration, and teamwork ranked as the most sought-after non-technical skill, cited by 41% of employers. Professionalism and work ethic followed at 37%, while adaptability and willingness to learn reached 34%.
This reflects a broader evolution within HR technology and workforce management strategies. As AI automates routine technical tasks, employers increasingly value employees who can work across functional teams, manage organizational change, and translate technical capabilities into business outcomes.
Research from McKinsey & Company has consistently shown that organizations achieving the highest returns from AI investments combine technical expertise with strong change management and workforce development programs. Similarly, Gartner forecasts that human-AI collaboration will become a defining workforce competency across knowledge-intensive industries over the coming decade.
For HR leaders, the implication is clear: workforce development programs must balance technical upskilling with investments in leadership, communication, and adaptability.
Upskilling Remains the Preferred Response to Talent Shortages
Despite softer hiring momentum, talent scarcity remains widespread.
The survey found that 95% of employers are actively deploying strategies to address skills shortages. The most common response is upskilling and reskilling existing employees, adopted by 30% of organizations.
Flexible work arrangements remain another key talent attraction tool, with 24% of employers expanding location flexibility. Wage increases remain part of the equation, cited by 22% of respondents.
The findings align with broader workforce trends identified by IDC and Forrester, which have both highlighted internal talent mobility and continuous learning as critical priorities for organizations facing persistent digital skills shortages.
Rather than relying solely on external recruitment, many enterprises are investing in learning and development platforms, workforce analytics systems, and AI-powered talent management tools to identify and close capability gaps internally.
Regional Technology Hiring Trends
Technology hiring expectations vary significantly by region.
In the Americas, Puerto Rico posted the strongest hiring outlook globally at 68%, followed by Brazil at 53% and the United States at 47%. Panama was the only market in the region to report a negative outlook.
Across Asia-Pacific, Vietnam led regional hiring expectations at 50%, while India matched the U.S. at 47%, reflecting continued demand for technology professionals supporting digital transformation initiatives. Australia and China reported more moderate but positive outlooks.
Europe and the Middle East presented a mixed picture. The United Kingdom led the region with a 51% outlook, while Israel and the Czech Republic also posted strong results. Romania and Slovakia recorded the weakest hiring expectations globally, highlighting ongoing economic caution across parts of Central and Eastern Europe.
What It Means for HR Technology Leaders
The latest Experis outlook suggests that technology hiring is not contracting but evolving.
Organizations are becoming more selective, prioritizing AI capabilities, workforce agility, and long-term talent development over rapid workforce expansion. For HR technology providers, the shift creates opportunities for platforms focused on skills intelligence, workforce planning, employee development, and talent analytics.
As enterprises accelerate AI adoption, the ability to identify, develop, and retain critical skills may become one of the most important competitive differentiators. The next phase of workforce transformation will likely be defined not by access to AI technologies, but by organizations’ ability to build teams capable of deploying them successfully.
Market Landscape
The global HR technology market is increasingly centered on skills-based workforce planning. As enterprises deploy AI across business operations, demand is rising for talent intelligence platforms, workforce analytics tools, learning management systems, and AI-powered recruitment solutions.
Industry leaders including Microsoft, Salesforce, Google Cloud, Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, and ServiceNow continue integrating AI capabilities into workforce management platforms. The trend reflects growing enterprise demand for technologies that connect skills development, workforce planning, and business transformation initiatives.
The Experis findings reinforce a broader market shift toward skills-first hiring models, internal mobility programs, and continuous workforce development strategies.
Top Insights
- AI modeling and application development emerged as the most in-demand technical capability, highlighting growing enterprise investment in practical AI deployment and workforce transformation initiatives.
- Communication, teamwork, and adaptability are becoming critical hiring criteria as organizations seek employees capable of managing AI-enabled business change.
- Nearly all surveyed employers report talent shortages, prompting increased investments in upskilling, reskilling, and workforce development programs.
- Regional hiring trends remain uneven, with Puerto Rico, Brazil, the United States, India, and the United Kingdom demonstrating particularly strong demand for technology talent.
- HR technology platforms focused on skills intelligence, workforce analytics, and employee development stand to benefit from evolving hiring priorities
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