Factories Keep Hiring: Manufacturing Jobs Going Into November (Nov. 2, 2026)
Factory hiring has been picking up quietly this fall, and the next read on it lands today. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) releases its October survey of manufacturers at 10 AM Eastern on Monday, November 2, 2026. Here's where manufacturing hiring stood going in, and what it means if you run a plant, warehouse or shop in Monroe, southeast Michigan, northwest Ohio or anywhere else.
Manufacturers have been adding people for three months
In the ISM September Manufacturing report (opens in a new tab), the employment index rose to 52.7, up from 51.2 in August. Any reading above 50 means more companies are growing their headcount than shrinking it, and September was the third straight month of growth. Eight of 18 manufacturing industries reported adding workers, including fabricated metal products, plastics and rubber products, primary metals and transportation equipment, which are core industries across our region. Companies in the survey talked about hiring more often than about cutting staff, by a ratio of 1.5 to 1.
The government's numbers point the same way. The BLS September jobs report (opens in a new tab) showed manufacturing employment up 72,000 since its low point in December 2025, with September gains in plastics and rubber products (+5,000) and machinery (+5,000).
Orders are up, and so are costs
ISM's overall manufacturing index was 54.5 in September, the ninth month in a row of growth for factories. New orders rose to 55.3 and order backlogs jumped to 56.4, which means plants have more work lined up than they did over the summer. At the same time, the prices index climbed to 77.9, so manufacturers are paying a lot more for materials. Plants with full order books and rising costs usually try to fill the gaps without adding permanent payroll right away, and that's where temporary and temp-to-hire workers help.
| Measure | Latest reading | Earlier reading |
|---|---|---|
| ISM manufacturing employment index | 52.7 (Sept.) | 51.2 (Aug.) |
| ISM manufacturing index overall | 54.5 (Sept.) | 54.6 (Aug.) |
| ISM backlog of orders | 56.4 (Sept.) | 51.8 (Aug.) |
| Manufacturing jobs gained since Dec. 2025 low (BLS) | 72,000 | |
| Announced job cuts, Jan. to Sept. 2026 (Challenger) | 573,195 | Down nearly 40% from 2025 |
Sources: Institute for Supply Management, Manufacturing PMI Report (September 2026); BLS Employment Situation (September 2026); Challenger, Gray & Christmas as reported by CBS News.
Few layoffs, cautious holiday hiring
Employers announced 573,195 job cuts through September, down nearly 40 percent from the first nine months of 2025, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas as reported by CBS News (opens in a new tab). Announced hiring plans were up 3 percent, but Challenger noted there's no sign of the usual holiday hiring surge. Fewer layoffs means fewer experienced workers looking for new jobs, so good people get hired fast.
Some people are available, though. BLS counted 1.9 million long-term unemployed in September, people out of work for 27 weeks or more, making up 27.1 percent of everyone unemployed. Many of them are ready to go back to work and do well with the right placement and a fair shot.
What this means for employers
- Line up help before the backlog does it for you. If orders are stacking up, adding temporary workers now costs less than overtime and missed shipments later.
- Look past the obvious candidates. With layoffs this low, the people already working aren't moving much. A staffing partner who screens candidates who've been out of work a while can widen your pool.
- Watch today's ISM report and Friday's jobs report. If the employment index stays above 50, more manufacturers will be competing for the same skilled hands this winter.
- Weighing your options? Our post on temp-to-hire vs. direct hire walks through when each approach makes sense.
Need production or warehouse workers? Let's talk
Aggressive Hiring Group is a woman-owned, family-run staffing agency right here in Monroe, MI, placing workers for employers nationwide for 12 years. We keep a network of pre-screened industrial, warehouse, logistics, office and technical candidates ready to go, and every one goes through our screening process, including background and reference checks and 10-panel drug screening. Call us at 734.785.8968, Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, or request staff online.
Sources: Institute for Supply Management, Manufacturing PMI Report, September 2026 (released Oct. 1, 2026); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Employment Situation, September 2026 (released Oct. 2, 2026); Challenger, Gray & Christmas job cuts report through September 2026, via CBS News. Figures are subject to revision.