Festive season hiring expected to generate up to 2.7 lakh gig jobs: Report
Executive Take
Tier I cities now compete hardest for frontline talent, not Tier II/III as before. Retailers and ecommerce firms should lock in wage budgets early since metro pay is set to jump 12-15%.
Executive Summary
Adecco India projects 2.5-2.7 lakh festive-season gig and temporary jobs for 2026, up 15-20% year-on-year from 2.16 lakh last year. Ecommerce, logistics, quick commerce, retail and BFSI lead demand. Tier II/III cities like Lucknow and Coimbatore will drive 45% of hiring, while Tier I cities face the sharpest 30% talent crunch.
Why It Matters
HR leaders in retail, ecommerce, logistics and BFSI need to plan staffing and wage budgets now, since 80% of employers already face shortages in frontline roles this season. The shift toward Tier II/III hiring also signals where future permanent workforce investment should go.
Bizquad Perspective
The real story isn't job volume, it's that a quarter of seasonal hires convert to permanent roles, making festive staffing a stealth pipeline for full-time workforce planning.