Hiring picks up pace, e-commerce and tech lead

Mumbai: Workforce expansion across industries is projected to rise 5.4 per cent in the second half of 2026-27, led by hiring in e-commerce and technology startups, travel and hospitality, and retail, according to a report by staffing company TeamLease Services. The projected net employment change (NEC) for October-March rose from 4.7 per cent in the first half of the fiscal to 5.4 per cent, the highest level in the past four half-year periods.

“The employment growth of 5.4 per cent expected in the H2 of FY27 reflects a shift towards more targeted workforce expansion, with businesses aligning talent decisions closely with changing demand,” TeamLease Services Senior Vice President Balasubramanian A said.

The report is based on inputs from 1,239 employers across 23 industries and 20 cities collected during July and August 2026. E-commerce and tech startups led the sectoral employment outlook with 12.6 per cent NEC, followed by travel and hospitality at 12.3 per cent and retail at 10.3 per cent. Automotive at 10.1 per cent, EV and EV infrastructure at 9.7 per cent and banking at 9.2 per cent also recorded strong hiring intent, indicating continued demand across digital, consumption-led and emerging sectors. Hiring plans were stronger among large enterprises, with 66 per cent planning to expand their workforce. This compared with 59 per cent of medium-sized enterprises and 53 per cent of startups, micro and small businesses.