{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"101981","rtpr_id":"nPn4bcpF1a","ticker":"RHI","exchange":"NYSE","all_tickers":["RHI"],"title":"Robert Half: Two-thirds of U.S. employers plan to increase hiring in second half of 2026","author":"PR Newswire","published_at":"2026-07-29T12:05:00.814Z","article_body":"Robert Half: Two-thirds of U.S. employers plan to increase hiring in second half of 2026\n\nPR Newswire\n\nMENLO PARK, Calif., July 29, 2026\n\n * Hiring plans climb to 66%, up from 57% a year ago\n * Technology, healthcare, and finance and accounting lead hiring demand\n * Denver, Minneapolis and San Francisco top U.S. hiring markets\nMENLO PARK, Calif., July 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The majority of U.S.\nemployers plan to increase hiring in the second half of 2026 as organizations\nadvance business priorities and seek specialized talent to address persistent\nskills shortages, according to new research from talent solutions and business\nconsulting firm Robert Half.\n\nIn a survey of more than 2,000 U.S. hiring managers, 66% say they plan to\nincrease permanent hiring during the second half of 2026, up from 60% in the\nfirst half of the year and 57% one year ago. More than half (56%) also expect\nto hire contract professionals to access specialized expertise, support\npriority initiatives and keep critical work moving.\n\n\"Organizations are increasingly moving forward with strategic initiatives, but\nmany recognize they need specialized talent to make those plans a reality,\"\nsaid Dawn Fay, operational president of Robert Half. \"We're seeing employers\ninvest in both permanent and contract professionals to access the expertise\nthey need, maintain momentum and remain competitive.\"\n\nWhere hiring demand is strongest\n\nHiring plans vary by location and area of specialization, with several major\nU.S. markets and specializations reporting particularly strong demand:\n\nHiring plans by city\n Rank  City              Plans to increase permanent hiring\n 1     Denver            83 %\n 2     Minneapolis       76 %\n 3     San Francisco     73 %\n 4     Houston           69 %\n 5     Seattle           69 %\n 6     Boston            66 %\n 7     Dallas            65 %\n 8     Los Angeles       64 %\n 9     Atlanta           63 %\n 10    Chicago           63 %\n 11    New York          59 %\n 12    Washington, D.C.  57 %\n\nHiring plans by specialization\n Rank  Specialization                       Plans to increase permanent hiring\n 1     Technology                           78 %\n 2     Healthcare                           75 %\n 3     Finance and accounting               74 %\n 4     Marketing and creative               65 %\n 5     Legal                                58 %\n 6     Human resources                      56 %\n 7     Administrative and customer support  52 %\n\nEmployers continue to face skills shortages\n\nDespite growing hiring demand, employers continue to struggle to find\nprofessionals with the specialized skills they need. Nearly 6 in 10 hiring\nmanagers (58%) say finding qualified talent is more difficult than it was a\nyear ago.\n\nSkills shortages are also affecting business execution:\n\n * 63% have experienced significant project delays.\n * 48% have canceled projects because they lacked the staff with the necessary\nskills.\nThe skills employers say are hardest to find include:\n\n * Industry-specific knowledge (47%)\n * Software proficiency (42%)\n * Leadership abilities (40%)\nIn response, organizations are turning to staffing firms for candidates with\nspecialized project skills (60%), urgent project support (56%) and to backfill\nfor internal staff (48%).\n\n\"When specialized talent is difficult to find, employers are expanding how\nthey approach hiring,\" Fay said. \"Partnering with a staffing firm gives\norganizations access to a broader network of skilled professionals, including\ncontract talent who can make an immediate impact while companies continue\nrecruiting for long-term needs.\"\n\nFor more insights into 2026 employment trends, including which professionals\nare hardest to hire and how to address hiring challenges, visit Robert\nHalf's Demand for Skilled Talent\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4740888-1&h=1107059351&u=https%3A%2F%2Fedge.prnewswire.com%2Fc%2Flink%2F%3Ft%3D0%26l%3Den%26o%3D4614743-1%26h%3D541382917%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.roberthalf.com%252Fus%252Fen%252Finsights%252Fsalary-hiring-trends%252Fdemand-for-skilled-talent%253Futm_medium%253Dpublic-relation%2526utm_source%253Dpr%2526utm_campaign%253Dv2_all_thought-leadership_dfst-2026_all%26a%3DDemand%2Bfor%2BSkilled%2BTalent&a=Demand+for+Skilled+Talent)\n report.\n\nFAQ:\n\nWhy are organizations canceling or delaying projects?\nEmployers are struggling to find professionals with the specialized skills\nneeded to complete critical work, which leads to delays, reprioritization and\nproject cancellations.\n\nWhy is finding skilled talent difficult?\nMany roles require specific qualifications such as industry knowledge,\nsoftware proficiency, leadership abilities and relevant experience, which\nmakes it harder to find suitable candidates.\n\nHow are companies addressing skills gaps?\nEmployers are using a mix of permanent hiring, contract talent and upskilling\nto bridge gaps and keep projects moving.\n\nWhich cities and industries have the strongest hiring demand?\nHiring demand is strongest in Denver, Minneapolis and San Francisco, with\ntechnology, healthcare, and finance and accounting ranking as the top\nindustries for hiring plans.\n\nAbout the research\nThe research is gathered from a survey developed by Robert Half\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4740888-1&h=3442563439&u=https%3A%2F%2Fc212.net%2Fc%2Flink%2F%3Ft%3D0%26l%3Den%26o%3D4302654-1%26h%3D2138231429%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.roberthalf.com%252Fus%252Fen%26a%3DRobertHalf.com&a=Robert+Half)\n and conducted by an independent research firm in April 2026. The survey\ncontains responses from more than 2,000 hiring managers in the United States.\n\nAbout Robert Half\nRobert Half (NYSE: RHI) is the world's first and largest specialized talent\nsolutions and business consulting firm, connecting highly skilled job seekers\nwith rewarding opportunities at great companies. We offer contract talent and\npermanent placement solutions in the fields of finance and accounting,\ntechnology, marketing and creative, legal, and administrative and customer\nsupport, and we also provide executive search services. Robert Half is the\nparent company of Protiviti(®), a global consulting firm that delivers\ninternal audit, risk, business and technology consulting solutions. In the\npast 12 months, Robert Half, including Protiviti, has been named one of\nthe Fortune(®) Most Admired Companies™ and 100 Best Companies to Work\nFor. Explore talent solutions, research and insights at RobertHalf.com\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4740888-1&h=3691167788&u=https%3A%2F%2Fc212.net%2Fc%2Flink%2F%3Ft%3D0%26l%3Den%26o%3D4302654-1%26h%3D2138231429%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.roberthalf.com%252Fus%252Fen%26a%3DRobertHalf.com&a=RobertHalf.com)\n.\n\n \n\nView original content to download\nmultimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/robert-half-two-thirds-of-us-employers-plan-to-increase-hiring-in-second-half-of-2026-302836960.html\n(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/robert-half-two-thirds-of-us-employers-plan-to-increase-hiring-in-second-half-of-2026-302836960.html)\n\nSOURCE Robert Half\n\n\n\nMatthew Croteau, (978) 252-2121, matthew.croteau@roberthalf.com\n\nPhoto: \nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1960123/Robert-Half_hiring-plans-for-the-second-half-of-2026.jpg?id=OA2798446\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS92837/Robert-Half-Logo-v1.jpg?id=OA2798445\n\nCopyright (c) 2026 PR Newswire Association,LLC. All Rights Reserved.","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nPn4bcpF1a","title":"Robert Half: Two-thirds of U.S. employers plan to increase hiring in second half of 2026","author":"PR Newswire","ticker":"RHI","created":"2026-07-29T12:05:00.814Z","tickers":["RHI"],"exchange":"NYSE","article_body":"Robert Half: Two-thirds of U.S. employers plan to increase hiring in second half of 2026\n\nPR Newswire\n\nMENLO PARK, Calif., July 29, 2026\n\n * Hiring plans climb to 66%, up from 57% a year ago\n * Technology, healthcare, and finance and accounting lead hiring demand\n * Denver, Minneapolis and San Francisco top U.S. hiring markets\nMENLO PARK, Calif., July 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The majority of U.S.\nemployers plan to increase hiring in the second half of 2026 as organizations\nadvance business priorities and seek specialized talent to address persistent\nskills shortages, according to new research from talent solutions and business\nconsulting firm Robert Half.\n\nIn a survey of more than 2,000 U.S. hiring managers, 66% say they plan to\nincrease permanent hiring during the second half of 2026, up from 60% in the\nfirst half of the year and 57% one year ago. More than half (56%) also expect\nto hire contract professionals to access specialized expertise, support\npriority initiatives and keep critical work moving.\n\n\"Organizations are increasingly moving forward with strategic initiatives, but\nmany recognize they need specialized talent to make those plans a reality,\"\nsaid Dawn Fay, operational president of Robert Half. \"We're seeing employers\ninvest in both permanent and contract professionals to access the expertise\nthey need, maintain momentum and remain competitive.\"\n\nWhere hiring demand is strongest\n\nHiring plans vary by location and area of specialization, with several major\nU.S. markets and specializations reporting particularly strong demand:\n\nHiring plans by city\n Rank  City              Plans to increase permanent hiring\n 1     Denver            83 %\n 2     Minneapolis       76 %\n 3     San Francisco     73 %\n 4     Houston           69 %\n 5     Seattle           69 %\n 6     Boston            66 %\n 7     Dallas            65 %\n 8     Los Angeles       64 %\n 9     Atlanta           63 %\n 10    Chicago           63 %\n 11    New York          59 %\n 12    Washington, D.C.  57 %\n\nHiring plans by specialization\n Rank  Specialization                       Plans to increase permanent hiring\n 1     Technology                           78 %\n 2     Healthcare                           75 %\n 3     Finance and accounting               74 %\n 4     Marketing and creative               65 %\n 5     Legal                                58 %\n 6     Human resources                      56 %\n 7     Administrative and customer support  52 %\n\nEmployers continue to face skills shortages\n\nDespite growing hiring demand, employers continue to struggle to find\nprofessionals with the specialized skills they need. Nearly 6 in 10 hiring\nmanagers (58%) say finding qualified talent is more difficult than it was a\nyear ago.\n\nSkills shortages are also affecting business execution:\n\n * 63% have experienced significant project delays.\n * 48% have canceled projects because they lacked the staff with the necessary\nskills.\nThe skills employers say are hardest to find include:\n\n * Industry-specific knowledge (47%)\n * Software proficiency (42%)\n * Leadership abilities (40%)\nIn response, organizations are turning to staffing firms for candidates with\nspecialized project skills (60%), urgent project support (56%) and to backfill\nfor internal staff (48%).\n\n\"When specialized talent is difficult to find, employers are expanding how\nthey approach hiring,\" Fay said. \"Partnering with a staffing firm gives\norganizations access to a broader network of skilled professionals, including\ncontract talent who can make an immediate impact while companies continue\nrecruiting for long-term needs.\"\n\nFor more insights into 2026 employment trends, including which professionals\nare hardest to hire and how to address hiring challenges, visit Robert\nHalf's Demand for Skilled Talent\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4740888-1&h=1107059351&u=https%3A%2F%2Fedge.prnewswire.com%2Fc%2Flink%2F%3Ft%3D0%26l%3Den%26o%3D4614743-1%26h%3D541382917%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.roberthalf.com%252Fus%252Fen%252Finsights%252Fsalary-hiring-trends%252Fdemand-for-skilled-talent%253Futm_medium%253Dpublic-relation%2526utm_source%253Dpr%2526utm_campaign%253Dv2_all_thought-leadership_dfst-2026_all%26a%3DDemand%2Bfor%2BSkilled%2BTalent&a=Demand+for+Skilled+Talent)\n report.\n\nFAQ:\n\nWhy are organizations canceling or delaying projects?\nEmployers are struggling to find professionals with the specialized skills\nneeded to complete critical work, which leads to delays, reprioritization and\nproject cancellations.\n\nWhy is finding skilled talent difficult?\nMany roles require specific qualifications such as industry knowledge,\nsoftware proficiency, leadership abilities and relevant experience, which\nmakes it harder to find suitable candidates.\n\nHow are companies addressing skills gaps?\nEmployers are using a mix of permanent hiring, contract talent and upskilling\nto bridge gaps and keep projects moving.\n\nWhich cities and industries have the strongest hiring demand?\nHiring demand is strongest in Denver, Minneapolis and San Francisco, with\ntechnology, healthcare, and finance and accounting ranking as the top\nindustries for hiring plans.\n\nAbout the research\nThe research is gathered from a survey developed by Robert Half\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4740888-1&h=3442563439&u=https%3A%2F%2Fc212.net%2Fc%2Flink%2F%3Ft%3D0%26l%3Den%26o%3D4302654-1%26h%3D2138231429%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.roberthalf.com%252Fus%252Fen%26a%3DRobertHalf.com&a=Robert+Half)\n and conducted by an independent research firm in April 2026. The survey\ncontains responses from more than 2,000 hiring managers in the United States.\n\nAbout Robert Half\nRobert Half (NYSE: RHI) is the world's first and largest specialized talent\nsolutions and business consulting firm, connecting highly skilled job seekers\nwith rewarding opportunities at great companies. We offer contract talent and\npermanent placement solutions in the fields of finance and accounting,\ntechnology, marketing and creative, legal, and administrative and customer\nsupport, and we also provide executive search services. Robert Half is the\nparent company of Protiviti(®), a global consulting firm that delivers\ninternal audit, risk, business and technology consulting solutions. In the\npast 12 months, Robert Half, including Protiviti, has been named one of\nthe Fortune(®) Most Admired Companies™ and 100 Best Companies to Work\nFor. Explore talent solutions, research and insights at RobertHalf.com\n(https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4740888-1&h=3691167788&u=https%3A%2F%2Fc212.net%2Fc%2Flink%2F%3Ft%3D0%26l%3Den%26o%3D4302654-1%26h%3D2138231429%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.roberthalf.com%252Fus%252Fen%26a%3DRobertHalf.com&a=RobertHalf.com)\n.\n\n \n\nView original content to download\nmultimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/robert-half-two-thirds-of-us-employers-plan-to-increase-hiring-in-second-half-of-2026-302836960.html\n(https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/robert-half-two-thirds-of-us-employers-plan-to-increase-hiring-in-second-half-of-2026-302836960.html)\n\nSOURCE Robert Half\n\n\n\nMatthew Croteau, (978) 252-2121, matthew.croteau@roberthalf.com\n\nPhoto: \nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS1960123/Robert-Half_hiring-plans-for-the-second-half-of-2026.jpg?id=OA2798446\nhttps://mmx.prnewswire.com/media/MS92837/Robert-Half-Logo-v1.jpg?id=OA2798445\n\nCopyright (c) 2026 PR Newswire Association,LLC. All Rights Reserved."},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-07-29T12:05:00.893731975Z","server_sent_at_ms":1785326700893},"received_at":"2026-07-29T12:05:00.984Z","source_url":"https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/robert-half-two-thirds-of-us-employers-plan-to-increase-hiring-in-second-half-of-2026-302836960.html"},"analysis":{"id":"91004","press_release_id":"101981","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Professional Services","sector":"Industrials"},"redFlags":[],"eventType":"operations_update","narrative":"Robert Half released survey data showing 66% of U.S. employers plan to increase permanent hiring in the second half of 2026, up from 57% a year ago.\n\nDemand for contract professionals is also strong, with 56% of hiring managers expecting to add contract staff to address skills shortages.\n\nTechnology, healthcare, and finance and accounting are the top specializations driving demand, with Denver, Minneapolis and San Francisco leading among major U.S. markets.","sentiment":"bullish","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"Survey suggests strengthening labor market demand benefiting staffing firms like RHI."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"survey_respondents":2000,"hiring_intent_1h_2026":"60%","hiring_intent_2h_2025":"57%","hiring_intent_2h_2026":"66%","contract_hiring_intent":"56%"}},"quotedText":"Organizations are increasingly moving forward with strategic initiatives, but many recognize they need specialized talent to make those plans a reality","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Dawn Fay","role":"operational president"},{"name":"Matthew Croteau","role":"contact"}],"products":["contract talent solutions","permanent placement solutions","executive search services"],"companies":[{"name":"Robert Half","ticker":"RHI","relationship":"issuer"},{"name":"Protiviti","relationship":"subsidiary"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"materialImpact":{"score":3,"reasoning":"Survey data indicates a significant increase in hiring intent among U.S. employers, which is a strong leading indicator for demand for Robert Half's staffing and consulting services. The rise to 66% from 57% YoY suggests expanding market opportunity."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"RHI"},"globalImportance":25,"audienceRelevance":30,"eventTypeSecondary":[],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"mid-cap","eventGravity":"macro-survey-indicator","sectorWeight":"employment-trends"}},"event_type":"operations_update","event_type_secondary":null,"sentiment":"bullish","material_impact_score":3,"narrative":"Robert Half released survey data showing 66% of U.S. employers plan to increase permanent hiring in the second half of 2026, up from 57% a year ago.\n\nDemand for contract professionals is also strong, with 56% of hiring managers expecting to add contract staff to address skills shortages.\n\nTechnology, healthcare, and finance and accounting are the top specializations driving demand, with Denver, Minneapolis and San Francisco leading among major U.S. markets.","key_figures":{"customDimensions":{"survey_respondents":2000,"hiring_intent_1h_2026":"60%","hiring_intent_2h_2025":"57%","hiring_intent_2h_2026":"66%","contract_hiring_intent":"56%"}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Dawn Fay","role":"operational president"},{"name":"Matthew Croteau","role":"contact"}],"products":["contract talent solutions","permanent placement solutions","executive search services"],"companies":[{"name":"Robert Half","ticker":"RHI","relationship":"issuer"},{"name":"Protiviti","relationship":"subsidiary"}],"dollarAmounts":[]},"model_name":"glm-4.7","prompt_hash":"sha256:727b4b9429a443af","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-07-29T16:10:29.807Z","global_importance":25,"audience_relevance":30,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"mid-cap","eventGravity":"macro-survey-indicator","sectorWeight":"employment-trends"}},"durationMs":200846,"modelName":"glm-4.7"}}