Hiring Plans on the Rise: More than 6 in 10 U.S. Companies Plan to Add New Positions in the First Half of 2025

Rhea-AI Summary

Robert Half's State of U.S. Hiring Survey reveals strong hiring intentions for the first half of 2025, with 63% of companies planning to add new permanent positions, up from 52% in the previous period. The same percentage intends to increase contract professionals. Company growth (56%), new projects (48%), and employee turnover (47%) are the main drivers behind these hiring plans.

The survey highlights challenges of unfilled positions, including employee burnout (42%), delayed projects (39%), and decreased productivity (37%). To attract and retain talent, companies are implementing strategies such as developing mentorship programs (35%), hiring contractors for potential full-time roles (33%), offering paid internships (32%), and rehiring retired employees as consultants (22%).

Positive

• Significant increase in hiring intentions from 52% to 63% for permanent positions
• Zero planned layoffs reported for first half of 2025
• 56% of companies citing growth as primary hiring driver
• Multiple hiring strategies being implemented to secure talent

Negative

• 47% experiencing employee turnover issues
• 42% reporting employee burnout and stretched bandwidth
• 39% facing project timeline delays due to unfilled positions

• 63% will expand permanent roles, while the same percentage will increase the number of contract professionals
• Company growth and project demands are fueling hiring plans

MENLO PARK, Calif., Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- New research from talent solutions and business consulting firm Robert Half suggests hiring is set to increase in the first half of 2025. According to the company's State of U.S. Hiring Survey, 63% of respondents plan to add new permanent positions during the first half of the year — up from 52% just six months ago. Another 34% plan to staff vacated positions while 63% will increase the number of contract professionals on their teams. 

	First Half 2024	Second Half 2024	First Half 2025
Adding new positions	57 %	52 %	63 %
Filling vacated positions	39 %	43 %	34 %
Hiring freeze	2 %	4 %	3 %
Conducting layoffs	1 %	0 %	0 %

View a breakdown of hiring plans by company size, specialization and city.

Factors Impacting Hiring Plans
Among managers who plan to increase hiring, more than half (56%) cited company growth as the primary factor influencing their hiring decisions for the first half of 2025. The emergence of new projects (48%) and employee turnover rates (47%) were also identified as key factors driving hiring.  

"Given these results, companies are clearly optimistic about their hiring outlook for 2025," said Dawn Fay, operational president of Robert Half. "To succeed in a competitive job market, employers must adopt proactive and strategic recruiting strategies to help them stand out and attract top talent."

Without a streamlined and efficient plan of action, organizations risk delaying critical initiatives and putting strain on existing employees. Hiring managers revealed the greatest impact of not filling roles in a timely manner:

• Stretched bandwidth and employee burnout (42%)
• Delayed project timelines (39%)
• Decreased employee productivity (37%)

Strategies to Land Top Talent

In addition to being competitive with salaries, managers plan to implement the following strategies to secure and retain top talent while meeting project demands in 2025: 

1. Developing or enhancing mentorship programs (35%)
2. Hiring contract professionals for potential full-time roles (33%)
3. Offering paid internships (32%)
4. Rehiring retired employees as consultants (22%)

"Retaining top talent will be just as critical as attracting it in 2025," Fay added. "The most successful organizations are routinely evaluating compensation, providing career development opportunities, and offering perks to keep employees engaged and productive."

About the Research
The online survey was developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm in November 2024. It includes responses from more than 1,680 managers with hiring responsibilities in finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative and customer support, and human resources at companies with 10 or more employees in the U.S.

About Robert Half

Robert Half (NYSE: RHI) is the world's first and largest specialized talent solutions and business consulting firm, connecting highly skilled job seekers with rewarding opportunities at great companies. We offer contract talent and permanent placement solutions in the fields of finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, and administrative and customer support, and we also provide executive search services. Robert Half is the parent company of Protiviti^®, a global consulting firm that delivers internal audit, risk, business and technology consulting solutions. In the past 12 months, Robert Half, including Protiviti, has been named one of the Fortune^® Most Admired Companies™ and 100 Best Companies to Work For, and a Forbes Best Employer for Diversity. Explore talent solutions, research and insights at roberthalf.com.

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SOURCE Robert Half

FAQ

What percentage of companies plan to hire in the first half of 2025 according to Robert Half (RHI)?

According to Robert Half's survey, 63% of companies plan to add new permanent positions in the first half of 2025.

How has hiring intent changed from second half 2024 to first half 2025?

Hiring intent increased from 52% in second half 2024 to 63% in first half 2025, showing an 11% increase.

What are the main factors driving hiring plans for first half 2025?

The main factors are company growth (56%), emergence of new projects (48%), and employee turnover rates (47%).

What strategies are companies implementing to attract talent in 2025?

Companies are developing mentorship programs (35%), hiring contractors for potential full-time roles (33%), offering paid internships (32%), and rehiring retired employees as consultants (22%).

What are the main impacts of not filling roles quickly according to the RHI survey?

The main impacts are employee burnout (42%), delayed project timelines (39%), and decreased employee productivity (37%).