The majority, or 92% of surveyed recruiters in India anticipate upcoming hiring activities, encompassing new roles, replacements, or a combination of both, reports Business Today, citing research from Naukri. Nearly half of recruiters (47%) foresee a blend of new and replacement hirings, 26% anticipate new job openings exclusively, while 20% plan to maintain their current workforce composition over the next six months. At the same time, 4% of respondents foresee potential redundancies or downsizing in the period spanning from July to December 2023. Pawan Goyal, chief business officer at Naukri.com, said, "With 92% of recruiters projecting increased hiring activities and a majority foreseeing a return to standard hiring practices, the survey underlines an optimistic outlook for white-collar hiring in the latter half of 2023."

The survey underscored the dominant sectors driving hiring intentions. Business Development, Marketing, and Operations roles emerge as frontrunners for recruitment during the upcoming half-year. Professionals with mid-level experience are predicted to remain in high demand, followed by entry-level candidates.

Meanwhile, approximately 70% of recruiters expect attrition rates to remain below the 15% threshold in the next six months. A small fraction envisions higher attrition rates of 40% or more. This indicates that employees intend to retain their current positions amid the ongoing uncertainties in the job market.

In terms of pay rises, 42% of recruiters indicate that their organisations offer less than a 10% raise, while 31% report increments falling in the 10 to 15% range. Notably, 6% of recruiters cite increments exceeding 30% in the current appraisal cycle.