Festive season to generate up to 2.7 lakh gig jobs: report

Temporary staffing demand this festive season is expected to generate 2.5 to 2.7 lakh jobs, according to a report from Adecco India. The hiring will be led by e-commerce, logistics, quick commerce, organised retail and BFSI sectors. The report estimates a 15-20 per cent year-on-year increase in temporary and gig hiring for the 2026 festive season, building on last year's base of about 2.16 lakh jobs.

Around 45 per cent of workforce demand will come from tier II and tier III cities such as Lucknow, Bhubaneswar, Jaipur and Coimbatore. Tier I cities including Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad face a 30 per cent talent crunch. Temporary wages are expected to rise 12-15 per cent in metro markets and 8-10 per cent in smaller cities.

Adecco India Director Deepesh Gupta said hiring intent remains resilient despite a complex global environment. About 80 per cent of employers report shortages across frontline roles. The report estimates a 10-15 per cent demand-supply gap during peak hiring. Nearly 25 per cent of seasonal associates are expected to move into longer-term roles.