According to the new Employment Outlook Survey by the ManpowerGroup group for the 4th quarter of 2026, the 528 Greek employers who participated in the survey report improved hiring prospects for the period October–December 2026, with the seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook (NEO) standing at 15 points.
The index is strengthened by 7 points compared to the previous quarter, while it remains unchanged compared to the corresponding quarter of 2025. At a global level, Greece ranks 35th on the list of countries that participated in the survey in terms of employment prospects.
According to the survey data on the expected change in workforce in the next quarter, 54% of employers plan to keep staffing levels unchanged, while 28% intend to increase their workforce in the 4th quarter of 2026. By contrast, 16% expect a decrease, while 2% say they are uncertain as to whether there will be changes in their staffing levels in the coming months.
The sectors with the strongest employment prospects
The Tourism, Hotels & Food Service sector records the strongest employment prospects in Greece for the 4th quarter of 2026, with an index of 37 points. The index is strengthened by 34 points compared to the previous quarter, recording the largest quarterly improvement among the sectors.
The sector’s recovery restores the levels of optimism that had also been recorded at the beginning of the year, when Tourism, Hotels & Food Service was the second strongest sector in hiring prospects with an index of 35 points.
On an annual basis, the greatest improvement is recorded by the Public Sector, Health and Social Services sector, with an increase of 8 points compared to the corresponding quarter of 2025. At the same time, Professional, Scientific and Technical Services record the highest employment outlook index (20 points) in more than the last two years, that is, since the 3rd quarter of 2024, when the index had stood at 36 points.
As part of the survey, Greek employers who expect an increase in their workforce in the next quarter were asked to report the main reasons leading to this intention. The most important factors for the 4th quarter are:
- Business growth and the creation of new jobs: 42%
- Expansion into new areas of activity, creating the need for new roles: 27%
- Replacement of positions left vacant due to employee departures that occurred before and during the previous quarter: 26%
Compared to the previous quarter, the trend of creating new jobs due to business growth is strengthening (42% versus 37%), while greater emphasis is also being placed on expansion into new areas of activity (27% versus 21%).
On the other hand, employers who expect a reduction in their workforce attribute the decision mainly to the following factors:
- Non-replacement of employees who leave, due to hiring restrictions: 27%
- Economic challenges that negatively affect staffing: 25%
- Automation has reduced the need for certain jobs: 24%
Of particular interest is the increased mention of automation as a factor in workforce reduction, as it rose from 9% in the previous quarter to 24% and enters the top three relevant reasons. This development indicates that more and more businesses are leveraging automation technologies and reassessing their staffing needs for specific roles.
Where employment prospects are strengthening the most
The strongest employment prospects in Greece are recorded by the category “Rest of Greece” - that is, the areas not included in Greater Attica or Northern Greece - with the index standing at 22 points.
This category shows the greatest improvement both on a quarterly and annual basis, with the index strengthening by 7 points compared to the previous quarter and by 13 points compared to the corresponding quarter of 2025. This is the highest index recorded in the “Rest of Greece” category since the start of its monitoring, in the 1st quarter of 2022.
The strongest employment prospects are recorded by organizations with 1,000 to 4,999 employees, with an employment outlook index at 24 points. The same category also records the greatest improvement, with the index strengthening by 12 points both compared to the previous quarter and compared to the corresponding quarter of 2025.
This is the highest index recorded among organizations of this size in Greece in the last three years, that is, since the 4th quarter of 2023, when the index had stood at 26 points.
Mr. Charalampos Kazantzidis, CEO of ManpowerGroup Greece, states: “The results of the Employment Outlook Survey for the 4th quarter of 2026 confirm that the Greek labor market is maintaining its momentum, with particularly positive prospects in the Tourism, Hotels and Food Service sector, but also increased optimism from larger organizations that continue to invest in their growth.
At the same time, the growing use of automation and artificial intelligence is transforming business needs and reinforcing the importance of continuous skills upgrading. At ManpowerGroup Greece, we systematically invest in talent development through upskilling initiatives such as the Tech Academies and specialized CNC training academies, contributing to covering critical staffing needs and creating the workforce required by the market of today and tomorrow”.