Over half of engineering and manufacturing hiring managers are struggling to recruit, despite 49% of professionals looking for work, according to a report from recruitment consultants Michael Page.
Page’s 2025 Talent Trends report found more than half (55%) of global engineering and manufacturing hiring managers have faced hiring challenges over the past year, rising to 60% among UK managers. But nearly half (49%) of engineering and manufacturing professionals globally, and 39% in the UK, say they are actively looking for new jobs.
The report is based on responses from almost 4,000 engineering and manufacturing professionals globally. A 20-minute, quantitative online survey was conducted by UNLIMITED between 4th November 2024 and 19th December 2024.
A total of 49,396 global surveys were completed, of which 15,726 were also clients. This includes 38,202 through PageGroup’s database, and a further 11,194 via a research panel partner. For engineering and manufacturing professionals specifically, there were 3,874 global surveys, including 1,159 clients and 2,716 candidates.
The report finds a shift in candidate priorities, with growing emphasis on trust in leadership, wellbeing, and meaningful work. Page says this presents a clear opportunity for employers, and success will rely not just on meeting expectations but on communicating policies, values, and long-term commitments with clarity.
The report is said to show that purpose has become a top priority for engineering and manufacturing professionals. Demand for meaningful work has surged among UK candidates, with nearly half (43%) now prioritising purpose at work, up from 26% last year. This is notably higher than the global average of 33%, indicating that UK engineering and manufacturing workers place a greater premium on purposeful work.
But while expectations have risen internal cultures are not always keeping pace. Only 38% of UK engineering and manufacturing workers feel they can be their authentic selves at work, just slightly above the global average of 32%. “This highlights a clear opportunity for employers to communicate their culture and values to attract the right talent and build stronger, more engaged teams,” says Page.
Ruth Hancock,Regional Director, Engineering, at Michael Page, says: “Professionals in engineering and manufacturing are looking for more than just a job; they’re seeking purpose and the chance to make a real impact. For hiring managers, the opportunity lies in creating and communicating these opportunities to their teams. This may mean encouraging and supporting non-linear career paths, or providing clarity around opportunities in emerging areas such as sustainability. When leaders connect people to meaningful work, everyone benefits.”
Wellbeing is also important, with almost three-quarters of respondents (72%) saying they would turn down a promotion to protect it. This contrasts with 49% of professionals globally, highlighting a stronger emphasis on wellbeing among UK talent.
Trust in leadership appears strained however with nearly half (46%) of UK professionals saying they lack confidence in their leaders to balance business needs with employee wellbeing; a concern echoed by 42% of their global peers. As a result, 42% of UK workers are actively looking or planning to look for new roles due to dissatisfaction with leadership decisions.
The findings are said to suggest that priorities in the engineering and manufacturing workforce are shifting, with only 12% of UK professionals in engineering and manufacturing saying salary is the top reason they’re looking for a new opportunity. Globally, that figure is slightly higher at 32%.
In contrast, 83% of professionals in both the UK and globally say work-life balance is the most important factor when thinking about work.