• Hiring intent outlook: TeamLease reported a 4.7% increase in hiring intentions for the April–September period, while Global Capability Center (GCC) hiring intention accelerated to 12–14% in the fourth quarter from 4–6% in the prior quarter.
• Sectoral hiring dynamics: Strong hiring demand is expanding across e-commerce, quick commerce, healthcare, manufacturing, and tech services, whereas traditional volume drivers like BFSI, retail, and FMCG experienced slower momentum in March.
• In-demand skill sets: Fresh IT hiring in the 0-to-2 years experience bracket is recovering after multi-year lows, with digital literacy and AI automation becoming mandatory competencies across finance, HR, and marketing roles.
• Salary and appraisals: Enterprise salary increments are projected to remain flat or slightly below last year’s 9.8% average, tempered by an increasing share of entry-level hiring, AI-driven efficiencies, and expanding employment in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.