India’s Festive Season to Fuel 2 Lakh New Job Openings
India’s festive season hiring wave is set to generate over 2 lakh jobs this year, spread across retail, e-commerce, logistics, and consumer services. The recruitment drive, which kicks off in mid-August, is expected to see 20–25% higher hiring compared to last year, fuelled by strong demand in quick commerce, third-party logistics, and last-mile delivery. Significant investments in supply chain and fulfilment infrastructure are also driving the boom.
According to staffing firm NLB Services, 70% of these jobs will be gig-based, such as delivery partners, warehouse staff, and customer service executives, while 30% will be permanent positions. The shift toward a blended workforce model reflects companies’ efforts to balance flexibility with scale. Interestingly, around 26% of temporary staff hired this season are expected to be retained beyond the festive period, signalling a gradual move from purely seasonal hiring to long-term workforce planning.
A major highlight of this year’s hiring trend is the growing importance of Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Locations like Bhubaneswar, Kochi, Indore, Surat, and Nagpur are projected to see 30–40% more gig hiring compared to last year. With these smaller cities emerging as micro-fulfilment hubs for e-commerce and retail, their contribution to total gig hiring could rise from 47% in FY25 to 50% in FY26.
According to staffing firm NLB Services, 70% of these jobs will be gig-based, such as delivery partners, warehouse staff, and customer service executives, while 30% will be permanent positions. The shift toward a blended workforce model reflects companies’ efforts to balance flexibility with scale. Interestingly, around 26% of temporary staff hired this season are expected to be retained beyond the festive period, signalling a gradual move from purely seasonal hiring to long-term workforce planning.
A major highlight of this year’s hiring trend is the growing importance of Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Locations like Bhubaneswar, Kochi, Indore, Surat, and Nagpur are projected to see 30–40% more gig hiring compared to last year. With these smaller cities emerging as micro-fulfilment hubs for e-commerce and retail, their contribution to total gig hiring could rise from 47% in FY25 to 50% in FY26.
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