Hiring defies economic uncertainty: Nearly half of UK employers plan professional headcount growth in early 2026

• 47% of employers planning to increase permanent headcount across professional functions including finance & accounting, IT, administrative, marketing and legal
• Interim hiring intentions hits highest level since 2024 (47%) while contract gains traction (36%)
• Finance, accounting, legal, compliance, IT and technology roles set to increase

New data from international recruitment firm Robert Half has revealed that UK employers are entering 2026 with a strong appetite for growth, despite ongoing economic uncertainty. The research shows that 47% of businesses plan to increase headcount across key professional functions- including finance & accounting, IT, administrative, marketing and legal - in the first half of the year. This marks a significant rise from 36% in the second half of 2025, signalling renewed confidence and a focus on strategic expansion.

Interim hiring is also surging, reaching its highest level since early 2024 with 47% of organisations reporting plans to ramp up recruitment to boost delivery capacity in finance, technology, and marketing in particular. This flexible model remains critical for advancing automation, regulatory compliance, and digital transformation initiatives, particularly within the finance, accounting and IT functions.

Contract hiring continues to gain traction as well, with 36% of employers planning to increase their contract workforce in the New Year. This trend is particularly strong in legal, risk and compliance roles, where organisations are looking for agile solutions to meet evolving regulatory and operational demands.

High demand in professional functions

According to the data, demand for finance and accounting professionals is particularly acute, with 58% of employers planning to expand permanent headcount in this remit in the first half of 2026, up from 50% in the previous six months. Contract hiring is also rising, with 43% of businesses planning to add temporary support compared to 39% in the latter half of 2025.

IT and technology roles are close behind, with 56% of organisations intending to grow their permanent teams, an increase of 11 percentage points on the previous period. Contract hiring in IT is also climbing, with 39% of employers planning to boost flexible resources. Legal and compliance roles are set for the most dramatic rebound, with permanent hiring intentions jumping from 26% in late 2025 to 42% in early 2026. Almost a third of businesses plan to increase contract support in these areas, up from 23% in the previous half-year.

Matt Weston, Senior Managing Director UK & Ireland at Robert Half, comments:

“Despite ongoing economic uncertainty, these figures show that UK businesses are entering 2026 with a promising sense of cautious optimism and ambition. The increase in permanent headcount plans, alongside the surge in interim and contract hiring, reflects a strategic focus on agility and resilience. Organisations are investing in critical functions such as finance, technology, and legal to strengthen compliance, accelerate digital transformation, and maintain competitive advantage. Employers are clearly building future-ready teams that can adapt to change and deliver growth and, encouragingly, there seems to be a recognition that flexibility is key. By combining permanent hires with interim and contract talent, businesses are positioning themselves to respond quickly to market demands while driving innovation across their operations. It will be interesting to see how this trend plays out in the coming months, but for now, it is a promising sign.”

ENDS

Media Contact
Vickie Collinge
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About Robert Half

Robert Half (NYSE: RHI) is the world’s first and largest specialised 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 last 12 months, Robert Half has been recognised as one of America’s Most Innovative Companies by Fortune and, with Protiviti, has been named as a Fortune® Most Admired Company™ and one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For. Explore talent solutions, research and insights at roberthalf.com/gb/en.