Are there markedly different conditions driving the temping and recruitment sectors in 2025?

One constant defines the sector: continuous change. While the labor market remains demand-driven, its tightness has eased somewhat, giving economic actors a bit of breathing room. Stricter criteria for certified temporary staffing agency status and tighter regulations on guest workers reinforce the priority of employing local labor.

Skilled workers and those with specialized knowledge remain among the most in-demand segments of the labor market. AI is reshaping recruitment and selection, making adaptability and responsiveness key to staying competitive.

How are temps viewed in the marketplace? Are they seen as adding value, or are they a necessary evil and one that companies will be quick to drop as soon as they can?

There has been a dramatic shift in this area. Where temporary staffing was once primarily used for its flexibility in managing fluctuating demand, it has now become an integral element of workforce planning—one that significantly contributes to a company's competitiveness.

It delivers tangible value by giving businesses access to professional services—like recruitment channels, talent acquisition solutions, and proprietary applicant databases—that would be costly to develop in-house.

Our satisfaction surveys indicate a clear shift in mindset: temporary staff are now more often treated on par with permanent employees, reflecting greater inclusion and evolving employer attitudes.

How difficult is it to source a sufficient workforce today? What are the professions that are hardest to fill, what are the typical time frames, and how has this changed over time?

By 2025, labor market pressures in Hungary have slightly eased due to EU-wide economic challenges, though the market remains demand-driven because of demographic trends. The more specialized or skilled a position is, the longer the recruitment and selection process tends to take.

Adaptability and rapid learning have become key hiring criteria. Some roles remain consistently hard to fill—engineers and big data specialists are among the most in-demand professionals.

What about the caliber of candidates? How difficult is it to find people with appropriate soft and hard skills? 

Finding candidates with the right mix of soft and hard skills is increasingly challenging. As the pace of change accelerates, soft skills such as adaptability, collaboration, and situational awareness have become just as vital as technical expertise—though they rarely come in the same package.

There are clear generational differences: older workers bring valuable experience, while younger candidates often excel in digital skills and agility. However, it's rare to find candidates who combine both. As a result, many employers are investing in upskilling their existing workforce to bridge the gap and build long-term internal capabilities.

Allied to that, how happy are you with the job done in the education system in preparing young starters/graduates for the world of work? What would you change?

Adult education is now more aligned with labor market needs, but there is growing disparity in the knowledge levels of recent graduates. This may be a side effect of higher education institutions’ efforts to reduce dropout rates. It’s encouraging, though, that universities are placing greater emphasis on practical skills.

This supports our mission at Mind-Diák Cooperative, part of the Humán Centrum Group: to connect companies with adaptable, motivated students and help young talent gain real-world experience.

What is the most significant area of friction between agencies and employers in Hungary today? How has this changed, and what can you do to overcome it?

There’s no major friction between agencies and employers today—effective collaboration is common when goals and responsibilities are clearly aligned. While earlier there was some distinction in how temps were treated, this has largely disappeared.

Temporary staffing is no longer just a way to manage short-term demand; it’s now seen as a strategic tool for building future workforces. Temps are viewed as a valuable talent pool, and agencies provide access to broader recruitment channels to help companies attract top talent.

The government creates the framework for employment in Hungary. What changes would you like to see lawmakers make, and are these different for temporary and recruitment services?

I would welcome steps to reduce administrative burdens, which remain significant for employers. Requirements such as those for social security payments or statistical reporting often don’t align well with today’s digital workflows, even though much of the data is already accessible to authorities. These challenges affect all areas of employment, not just temporary staffing, and easing them would benefit the entire labor market.