India's festive season spurs gig hiring
India's festive season spurs gig hiring
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With the festive season starting, multiple sectors in India will see increased consumption demand. This will drive up hiring, and much of that will be gig hiring in nature, reports The Economic Times, citing a number of firms.
India’s festive season begins at the end of October with the Diwali festival.
Staffing firm NLB Services estimates that up to 1 million jobs will be created during this festive period. Industries such as retail, hotel, e-commerce, logistics, consumer goods, banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), and retail will see a rise in hiring. Among these, e-commerce will see the highest demand with a 22% increase in hiring over last year, Sachin Alug, CEO of NLB Services, says.
The e-commerce sector is poised for a major surge in sales, driving the need for an extra workforce and leading to an uptick in both temporary and permanent hires. These jobs will cover various supply chain roles, including warehouse staff, inventory managers, logistics coordinators, Kirana partners and delivery drivers. As a result, it is anticipated that on days of peak demand from customers, the demand for gig delivery riders on rapid commerce platforms will increase by 30%.
Alug estimates that of these new roles, around 70% will be temporary to meet the seasonal demand, while 30% are likely to be permanent, offering more stable, long-term positions. The gig economy is projected to experience a notable rise in female participation in the workforce, with a 35% increase.
TeamLease Edtech estimates the need for 1 million gig workers and 250,000 contract workers across sectors this festive season. However, its research states that there is a persistent skill gap.