More US hiring managers and human resource professionals plan to hire staff in the second half of 2018 compared to last year, according to CareerBuilder’s new mid-year 2018 US job forecast. The survey found 63% plan to hire full-time, permanent workers in the second half of 2018, up from 60% who said the same in a separate survey for the second half of 2017.

However, CareerBuilder’s survey also found that, for the third quarter only, 41% of employers plan to hire temporary or contract workers, down from 50% last year.

A substantial percentage of employers hiring in the second half of 2018 expect to offer higher salaries and various perks — such as signing bonuses, extra paid time off, free lunches and the ability to work remotely — to attract and keep the talent they need.

“Low unemployment and increasing skills gaps continue to plague employers who are struggling to fill roles at all levels within their organizations,” said CareerBuilder CEO Matt Ferguson. “Fifty percent of US employers reported that it is taking them longer to fill jobs today compared to any other period of time — a trend that is ultimately giving job seekers more leverage.”

Forty-five percent of employers surveyed plan to increase starting salaries on new job offers in the back half of 2018, and 23% plan to increase starting salaries by 5% or more. Fifty-eight percent of employers will increase compensation for current employees before year-end, with 24% of all employers planning an increase of 5% or more on average.

Looking across industries, the top roles employers hiring in the second half of 2018 will be hiring for include:

1. Customer service: 41%
2. Sales: 28%
3. Information technology: 22%
4. Product development: 16%
5. Business development: 16%

In an effort to draw in more applicants and, ultimately hires, employers hiring in the second half of 2018 said they would highlight different perks in their job offers. The top five include:

1. Casual dress code: 36%
2. Employee discounts: 31%
3. Ability to work remotely: 25%
4. Extra paid time off: 22%
5. Signing bonus: 21%

The survey was conducted online within the US by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder among 1,023 hiring and human resource managers and 1,014 US employees. The survey was conducted between June 21 and July 16, 2018.