The hiring landscape continues to evolve, presenting a focus on flexibility for businesses across various sectors.
Evolving trade policies, ongoing inflation, a skilled talent shortage, and the rise of artificial intelligence are reshaping the U.S. economy. As a result, companies are adjusting their workforce strategies, focusing on flexibility to remain competitive in a changing market. With hiring continuing to shift, both employers and workers will need to adapt to new challenges and opportunities.
Showing perseverance, CEO confidence rose sharply in the first quarter of 2025, climbing 9 points to 60, the highest level in three years. Leaders are feeling more upbeat about both current and future economic conditions, especially within their own industries.45
The key insights for early 2025 show salary growth and job additions, despite a hiring slowdown.45
Salary Growth: Average hourly earnings increased by 3.8% year-over-year as of March 2025, with inflation-adjusted wages growing by 1.4%.
Job Growth: The U.S. economy added 177,000 jobs in April 2025, with the healthcare and social assistance sectors leading the gains.46
CEO Confidence: Despite economic uncertainties, CEO confidence rose sharply in the first quarter of 2025, with 73% of CEOs planning to grow or maintain the size of their workforce over the next 12 months. 47
CEO confidence rose sharply in the first quarter of 2025, climbing 9 points to 60, the highest level in three years.
Employers Budgeting 3.5% for Salary Increases in 202539
Challenges Are Opportunities to Outperform Your Competitors
We are in a challenging time to hire and retain staff. However, this can be good news for companies that can rise to the challenge. When most companies are struggling, opportunities arise for the organizations that can be flexible and creative in their efforts to attract talent.
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Or, explore how we can help employers solve for some of the most common priorities we encounter below.
Better Customer Service
Customers report 3 times faster hiring and better results when working with AppleOne.8
Attracting Quality Candidates
48% of employers say that failure to find the right workers is the biggest risk to hitting their growth targets7, and 52% of employed workers are NOT actively seeking new opportunities.1
Filling Openings Faster
Job seekers say that a slow hiring process is the top reason they lose interest in a potential employer leading to increased ghosting and the loss of an employer’s preferred candidate.2
Optimizing Costs
Labor is often one of the biggest costs of doing business and labor expense is up 4.5% year over year.3
Improving Engagement and Retention
Voluntary turnover remains 20% higher than pre-pandemic3 levels with more than 4 million people quitting each month.