Nearly seven in ten Peruvian companies reduced their workforce in the first six months of 2026, according to a study on wages and hiring published by employment platform Bumeran.
The survey found that 68 percent of human resources specialists consulted said their organisation carried out layoffs during the period, up four percentage points from 64 percent recorded in the same half of 2025.
Cost reduction was identified as the primary driver of dismissals, cited by 46 percent of HR departments. Insufficient employee performance followed at 44 percent, with closure of departments or business lines at 20 percent, general economic conditions at 16 percent, other factors at 10 percent, and mergers or acquisitions at 6 percent.
Workers’ perceptions aligned with what companies reported. The study found that 71 percent of employees said their organisation had conducted layoffs during the first half of the year, while 11 percent said they had personally lost their job in that period.
Regional comparison
Among the countries included in the regional comparison, Panama recorded the highest share of organisations reporting layoffs at 86 percent, followed by Chile at 71 percent. Peru and Ecuador both reached 68 percent, while Argentina registered 67 percent.
Outlook for the rest of the year
Looking ahead, 42 percent of organisations said they planned to keep their current headcount, 35 percent expected to hire additional workers, and 23 percent anticipated further staff reductions. On the broader labour market, 45 percent of respondents expected a positive trend, 41 percent expected moderate performance, and 14 percent projected a negative outlook.
On salaries, the study found that nearly seven in ten companies, 69 percent, did not plan to grant pay rises in the second half of the year. Of the 31 percent that did plan increases, two thirds said these would be real-terms rises, while the remainder planned inflation adjustments or a combination of both.
Among workers, 65 percent said they had not received a pay rise in the first half of the year. Of those who did receive one, 72 percent described it as a real increase.
