Businesses are ramping up the seasonal hiring by 20% compared to last year led by demand bolstered by Tier 2 and 3 cities besides the metros, reports The Economic Times, citing Indeed’s data findings, based on a survey conducted by Valuvox. Tier 2 cities have a population of 50,000-99,999 people while Tier 3 cities have a population between 20,000 and 49,999.

In major metros like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, and Kolkata, there is an 18-20% increase compared to the previous year. According to Indeed, tier 2 and 3 cities such as Nagpur, Jaipur, Vadodara, Kochi, Vizag, Madurai, Lucknow, Gurugram, Chandigarh, Indore, Coimbatore, Surat, Bhubaneswar, and Bhopal are experiencing an even higher surge, with a 22-25% increase in hiring.

“As companies look to expand their market reach and tap into new customer bases, they are increasingly focusing on Tier 2 and 3 cities, where consumer spending is rising due to improving economic conditions and growing disposable incomes,” the Indeed findings noted. Increased internet penetration and digital adoption in these regions have also enabled e-commerce, retail, and logistics companies to drive better customer experiences.

Meanwhile, Indeed’s data showed that the top five roles are expected to see the highest increase in hiring this festive season include delivery executive jobs, which saw a rise of 30%. There was a 25% increase in warehouse workers’ jobs, a 20% rise in logistics coordinator jobs, and a15% jump in in-store sales and customer care executives. Several industries like e-commerce (35%), logistics (15%), retail (14%), quick commerce (11%) have seen a marked increase in demand for seasonal workers compared to the previous year.