Flemish SMEs report increase in recruitment intentions

Flemish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are showing a slight increase in recruitment intentions for the final quarter of 2026. According to a survey of 413 Belgian SMEs, 30 percent of Flemish SMEs plan to hire staff, up from 25 percent in the previous period.

Recruitment activity is led by the industrial (50 percent), hospitality (48 percent), and IT (46 percent) sectors. Geographically, Antwerp shows the highest recruitment rate at 35 percent, while West Flanders reports the lowest at 26 percent. In contrast, the construction sector remains stagnant with only 14 percent of companies seeking new employees.

Business workload expectations are becoming increasingly polarized. While 26 percent of Flemish SMEs anticipate an increase in activity—a more optimistic outlook than in Wallonia or Brussels—18 percent expect a decrease. Nationally, the proportion of companies expecting increased workloads has risen to 26 percent, while those expecting a decline has reached 19 percent.