“Wait-and-see workforce”: 39% of engineering and manufacturing professionals are job hunting, while 60% of hiring managers are struggling to hire – with both sides holding out for the perfect match.Hiring priorities are shifting toward transformation and technical resilience, with growing demand for automation, design engineering, and operational excellence roles.But, 72% of engineering and manufacturing professionals would turn down promotions that compromise their wellbeing, meaning businesses should consider holistic talent attraction strategies.1 October 2025, London: Michael Page has released its 2026 Salary Guides, offering insights into key trends in the UK hiring market, the most in-demand roles, and the priorities engineering and manufacturing professionals are seeking in their next positions. The report analyses data across thousands of placements and conversations with hiring managers and professionals in 18 guides across 15 sectors, highlighting recruitment demand and key insights.The data shows that nearly four in ten (39%) UK engineering and manufacturing professionals are actively seeking new roles, while 60% of hiring managers report difficulty recruiting in the sector. Michael Page has named this a “wait-and-see workforce”: candidates are holding out for roles that tick all their boxes, while businesses, under pressure to avoid costly mis-hires and manage tighter budgets, are waiting for the perfect hire. To help break this tension, Michael Page is releasing its latest Salary Guides, offering businesses the insights they need to adapt their strategies and plan for 2026.The rise of transformation talent and cross-sector skill setsAs engineering and manufacturing functions continue to adapt to supply chain disruption, automation, and sustainability pressures, the guides reveal that a new hiring pattern is emerging. Businesses are prioritising roles that can deliver both operational resilience and long-term transformation, driving measurable improvements in efficiency, safety, and productivity. This has created increased demand for professionals in design and development, operational excellence, and automation. The regional hotspots for hiring engineering and manufacturing talent include the Midlands, London and the Southern Home Counties*. Most in-demand roles:Supply Chain ManagerMaintenance EngineerEngineering ManagerDesign EngineerOperations DirectorMost in-demand skills:Influencing in manufacturing and supply chainData analyticsPositive disruptionSystems experience (ERP, MRP, SAP)Ruth Hancock, Regional Director, Manufacturing at Michael Page, says: “The sector is undeniably undergoing transformation. With a focus on agility and resilience, particularly in manufacturing and supply chain operations, businesses must adapt quickly to disruptions, meet customer demands, and manage global logistics. Finding the right talent is critical; my advice to hiring managers in the current market is to remain open-minded about candidates’ sector experience and skills backgrounds. Considering those who align with the company’s culture, values, and ways of working will open up a wider candidate pool and attract the right talent for their business.” Salary is just one piece of the puzzle As businesses strive to attract top engineering and manufacturing talent, Michael Page reveals what professionals truly want. A significant 83% of engineering and manufacturing professionals rank work-life balance as their top priority when thinking about work, and 72% of UK workers would turn down a promotion to protect their wellbeing.The guide highlights a clear opportunity for businesses and leadership to revisit their hiring strategies, with salary being just one consideration. Building holistic compensation packages can help employers navigate the “wait-and-see workforce”. Hancock continues, “Despite high demand for roles and a pool of candidates actively seeking opportunities, over half of hiring managers in this sector are struggling to hire. This disconnect creates a clear opportunity for businesses to reassess their approach. To overcome this challenge, companies should take a broader view of their hiring strategies. This includes revisiting salary benchmarking to ensure competitiveness, offering comprehensive benefits beyond just salary, and considering training, development and clear progression plans for high-potential hires.” For businesses looking to unlock further hiring insights, the Michael Page 2026 Salary Guides can be downloaded here. ENDSMethodologySalary Guides 2026Michael Page’s Salary Guides analyse thousands of placements and conversations with hiring managers and professionals across 18 specialities in the UK to generate data on sector-specific recruitment trends, popular roles, and in-demand skills. The resulting insights on UK salary and skills trends are designed to help employers shape hiring strategies for 2026. All Salary Guides ‘Market sentiment’ data, unless otherwise stated, is from an online survey conducted by PageGroup and UNLIMITED.Talent Trends 2025 is a 20-minute, quantitative online survey. A total of 49,396 global surveys were completed, including 3,874 engineering and manufacturing professionals.Additional data on regional demand and candidate applications comes from PageGroup’s proprietary data, which includes job listings and applications, alongside data sourced from national job boards. *Southern Home Counties includes: Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey, West SussexAbout PageGroupPageGroup is one of the world’s best-known and most respected recruitment consultancies. We put people into jobs and build careers. We are customer-led, people-powered and insight driven. With operations in 36 countries, PageGroup provides recruitment services and career opportunities at a local, regional, and global level.PageGroup operates four key brands: Page Executive, Michael Page, Page Personnel and Page Outsourcing, supported by additional brands across the business.
