Brussels has the highest concentration of companies in Belgium planning to recruit new staff in the coming months. At the same time, few employers in the region are considering redundancies.
In Flanders and Wallonia, one in three small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) is planning to recruit in the second quarter of 2024. In Brussels, this figure rises to four in ten (42%), a survey by HR company SD Worx of 870 SME company managers showed. Only 7% are considering layoffs.
"That Brussels SMEs stand out positively this quarter, with the largest hiring plans and the lowest dismissal intentions, is positive news," said Annelies Rottiers, SME advisor at SD Worx. Companies in East Flanders also lead the ranks when it comes to hiring intentions.
Rottiers added that Brussels companies are also least affected by vacancies that are unfilled for a long period: only 13% reported struggling with this. "It is therefore mainly a question of new job offers."
Which sectors are struggling
Rottiers nuanced the optimism: "Intentions do not immediately translate into reality; filling the jobs is a big challenge. 2023 was a difficult year for Belgian SMEs to create additional employment." Across Belgium, only a quarter (27%) expect an increase in employment by the end of 2024.
While the overall figures are similar to the same period last year, in the Industry and Construction sectors half of SMEs are affected by vacancies that remain unfilled for longer periods. "Here, it remains difficult to find the right profiles," Rottiers said. Their employment intentions have also decreased from 41% to 34% of SMEs.
Overall, SMEs are more concerned with replacing staff over expanding their workforce compared to last year. Almost a quarter (23%) of SME companies with recruitment plans are considering temporary contracts from agency work to flexi-jobs and student jobs, up from 18% last quarter.
"SMEs are looking to build flexibility into their workforce: one in three (33%) SMEs expect an increase in the volume of work in the next quarter, and one in ten (11%) expect a decrease in work this quarter. While this is better than last quarter when 16% expected a decrease, people remain cautious in the medium term," Rottiers concluded.
