Salary & Hiring Insights for 2026
Salary & Hiring Insights for 2026
Endeavor Business Intelligence’s Salary & Hiring Insights for 2026 provides a timely look at how organizations across key industries are approaching compensation and workforce planning for 2026. Drawing responses from more than 300 professionals across manufacturing, construction, automotive, energy, and related sectors, the findings reflect a mix of confidence and caution as employers prepare for another year of economic uncertainty.
Most organizations (41%) plan salary increases between 2 to 4%, suggesting a continued focus on moderate pay growth. About half expect 2026 raises to mirror 2025 levels, while 18% remain undecided — a signal that wage strategy is still in flux for many.
Hiring activity remains relatively strong but targeted. Nearly two in five companies report hiring only in select areas, while others have paused or frozen hiring altogether. This measured approach underscores how employers are balancing talent needs with cost control and productivity demands.
With a respondent base representing primarily small and mid-sized businesses, the survey results offer a nuanced perspective on workforce dynamics in the coming year, from compensation planning to recruitment priorities and the skills most in demand.
In this report, you’ll learn:
- How 2026 salary budgets compare to 2025
- Where hiring activity is strongest and which sectors are scaling back or freezing positions
- How company size influences compensation strategies and workforce planning
- What factors, from skills to certifications, are shaping today’s hiring and pay decisions across industries