More than half (57%) of companies plan to add new permanent positions within the first six months of 2024, according to Robert Half’s latest State of U.S. Hiring Survey, with many hiring decisions driven by company growth (66%). Of the 1,850 hiring managers surveyed, 39% expect to fill vacant roles, and 67% plan to include contract workers in their hiring strategy.
However, they’re also anticipating carrying hiring challenges into the new year — the majority of survey respondents (90%) said it’s difficult to find skilled professionals, and more than half (58%) report that it’s taking longer to fill open positions than it did last year. Many also noted difficulties finding candidates who align with the company culture (49%), meeting salary expectations (48%), and getting enough applicants for open jobs (42%).
In addition, turnover is still weighing heavily on hiring managers’ minds — retaining top talent (91%) and engaging and motivating teams (88%) were the primary concerns heading into 2024.
