Hiring boom likely to bring early festival cheer for gig workers

The period could generate up to 200K jobs

The festival season is expected to give a boost to gig hiring across India. According to digital talent solutions firm NLB Services, the festival period could generate up to 200,000 jobs across sectors, including retail, e-commerce, logistics, and consumer services.

 

However, sectors such as quick commerce (qcom) and third-party logistics are likely to see more jobs than others. They would be supported by investments in supply chain and last-mile delivery infrastructure.

 

This surge is expected to ramp up hiring in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, enhance gender diversity in the ecosystem, and lead to improved retention, marking a shift towards long-term workforce planning, said the report.

 

According to data shared by NLB Services, hiring is up by around 20-25 per cent this year compared to last year. Of the projected new jobs, 70 per cent are expected to be gig roles, while 30 per cent will be permanent.

 

However, unlike previous years, this is not just a seasonal spike in gig hiring.

 

“Several large qcom and e-commerce players are projected to retain 26 per cent of this expanded workforce beyond the festival window, pointing to a structural shift rather than a seasonal spike. In contrast to previous years, when 70-75 per cent of gig roles were typically phased out post-festivities, workforce demand is now expected to stabilise at higher levels,” said Sachin Alug, chief executive officer (CEO), NLB Services. 

 

He added that 35 per cent of businesses are now rethinking festival hiring as a component of their long-term talent strategy.

 

In an earlier conversation with Business Standard, Kartik Narayan, CEO of staffing at TeamLease, had reiterated that qcom alone is expected to account for a 60 per cent surge in gig hiring, adding 1.5-2 million roles.

 

He added that logistics roles linked to e-commerce, which currently make up 35-40 per cent of all gig jobs, are also expected to expand steadily.

 

As the hiring momentum rises, the supply of talent remains strong and operational costs are lower in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, making them ripe locations for fresh hiring.

 

“Locations such as Bhubaneswar, Kochi, Indore, Surat, and Nagpur are anticipated to see a 30-40 per cent increase in gig hiring compared to the same period last year. With these cities emerging as micro-fulfilment hubs for retail and e-commerce companies, Tier-II cities accounted for 47 per cent of total gig hiring during the last festival season,” NLB Services said, adding that the figure is expected to rise to 50 per cent in FY26.

 

Another shift projected this year is greater gender diversity in festival workforce participation.

 

The gig economy, particularly in sectors like customer experience, delivery, grooming, and food services, is expected to see a notable rise in female workforce.

 

“Compared to FY25, this season is projected to witness a 30-35 per cent increase in women taking up short-term or gig-based roles. Flexible working hours, digital onboarding, and hyperlocal job availability are anticipated to be key enablers. Last year, the male-to-female hiring ratio in gig roles stood at 72:28. Early projections for this year indicate a shift towards greater parity in urban and semi-urban clusters,” the firm said.

Here to stay 

• Sectors like qcom and third-party logistics may generate more jobs
• Tier-II and -III to emerge as ripe locations for new hiring
• Workforce expected to see more female participation
• 25% of growth in hiring compared to last year, according to a report
• 35% of businesses to make festival hiring a long-term strategy