Overview of Hiring Activity
The Philippines’ online hiring activity rose by 6% month-on-month in January 2026, signalling a strong post–year-end rebound as companies activated new annual budgets and accelerated headcount plans for the year ahead.
Near-term momentum has strengthened notably: hiring is up 14% over the last 3 months and 6% over the last 6 months. Year-on-year, activity is 9% higher — marking a meaningful improvement from the softer readings seen through much of mid-2025 and reflecting a broader recovery across services-led sectors.
The headline uptick is supported by a wide base of drivers: continued expansion in BPO and shared services, sustained offshoring demand from global firms, rising labour force participation, and steady hiring across logistics, healthcare, and tourism. The index rose to 175 in January from 165 in December, up from 160 a year earlier.
Hiring Trends by Industry (YoY change)
Hiring gained momentum annually in 8 of the 12 monitored industries in January 2026, with logistics, advertising, and retail leading the way. Education and BPO/ITES continue to face structural headwinds.
In demand
- Logistics, Courier/Freight, Transportation & Shipping (+20%) The strongest industry growth this month, driven by e-commerce expansion and last-mile delivery demand. Hiring across warehousing, transport operations, and supply chain roles remains elevated as fulfilment networks continue to scale.
- Advertising, Market Research, PR, Media & Entertainment (+10%) Sustained brand investment in digital and performance marketing is keeping demand for creative, content, and campaign roles elevated. The sector continues its consistent positive trajectory.
- Retail (+10%) Steady consumer demand and omnichannel expansion are driving manpower requirements across stores, fulfilment operations, and customer-facing roles.
- Engineering, Construction & Real Estate (+9%) Ongoing infrastructure and project execution activity continues to underpin demand, with hiring remaining positive though measured.
- Health Care (+9%) Persistent workforce shortages continue to support hiring for clinical and support roles. Demand remains broad-based across public and private healthcare settings.
- BFSI (+5%) Digital banking growth, along with risk and compliance requirements, is sustaining steady hiring in financial services.
- IT, Telecom/ISP (+4%) Hiring remains selective, with continued investment in digital infrastructure, cloud systems, and cybersecurity keeping demand modestly positive despite broader global tech caution.
- Consumer Goods/FMCG cluster (+2%) Modest positive movement reflects cautious but stable expansion as consumer sentiment improves gradually.
Facing challenges
- Production/Manufacturing, Automotive & Ancillary (−3%) Firms remain cautious on capital expenditure and demand signals, keeping hiring modest and focused on replacement rather than expansion.
- BPO/ITES (−15%) Ongoing automation of routine processes and a shift toward higher-skill roles is reducing overall headcount demand. Companies are optimising team structures rather than scaling broadly.
- Education(−30%) The steepest industry decline, as enrolment pressure and cost rationalisation continue to drive hiring freezes and workforce reductions at institutions across the country.
Hiring Trends by Functional Area (YoY change)
Hiring activity exceeded year-ago levels in 6 out of 10 functional areas in January 2026. Supply chain, tech, and finance roles are leading growth, while sales and customer service remain under sustained pressure.
In demand
- Purchase/Logistics/Supply Chain (+18%) The fastest-growing functional area this month, with companies expanding warehousing, procurement, and distribution capacity in line with e-commerce and trade flow momentum.
- Software, Hardware, Telecom (+10%) Continued investment in digital infrastructure, cloud platforms, cybersecurity, and enterprise technology is driving consistent demand for tech talent.
- Finance & Accounts (+7%) Organisations are strengthening financial controls, compliance, and reporting functions amid tighter cost management and growing regulatory scrutiny.
- Hospitality & Travel (+6%) Moderate growth reflects steady tourism and travel activity supporting operational staffing across guest services and travel functions.
- Engineering/Production, Real Estate (+3%) Positive demand aligns with ongoing project execution and maintenance requirements across construction and infrastructure-linked roles.
- Marketing & Communications (+2%) Marginal growth indicates stable but selective demand as spend stays performance-driven and focused on measurable campaign outcomes.
Facing challenges
- Medical Roles (−1%) Slight softness at the role level — despite the broader healthcare industry growing — suggests demand is concentrated in specific sub-functions rather than across the board.
- HR & Admin (−6%) Organisations continue to consolidate shared services and automate routine people and administrative processes, moderating overall hiring in this area.
- Customer Service (−12%) Significant and sustained weakness, as automation tools, AI-driven self-service platforms, and efficiency mandates reduce the need for large support teams.
- Sales & Business Development (−17%) The steepest functional decline, reflecting continued caution in expanding frontline commercial capacity as companies prioritise productivity and channel efficiency over headcount growth.
About the foundit Insights Tracker
The foundit Insights Tracker (fit) Philippines (formerly the Monster Employment Index) is a monthly benchmark of online hiring activity across the nation. By analysing millions of job postings, fit provides timely, data-led intelligence on recruitment trends across industries, occupations, and skill categories, helping organisations and talent navigate an evolving labour market.
