Festive Season Hiring Set to Surge by 15-20% Across Various Sectors

As the festive season approaches, hiring is anticipated to rise by 15-20%, particularly in sectors like e-commerce and logistics. Employers are preparing early, focusing on diverse talent pools, including freshers and women. The report by NLB Services highlights the geographical expansion of job demand, especially in Tier II and III cities. This shift not only addresses immediate seasonal needs but also opens pathways for long-term employment opportunities. Discover how businesses are adapting to meet the peak demand and the evolving landscape of the workforce.

By Ambika Singh Sep 23, 2026, 14:32 IST

Overview of Hiring Trends During Festive Season

A recent analysis by NLB Services, a global provider of technology and digital talent solutions, indicates that hiring is projected to increase by 15-20% during the festive season. As the festive period approaches, businesses in sectors like e-commerce, logistics, retail, hospitality, travel, and consumer services are preparing for peak demand.

The festive season is becoming a critical evaluation period for India's workforce. Employers are starting their recruitment efforts earlier, looking beyond conventional talent sources, and increasingly depending on technology-driven, adaptable talent ready to engage immediately.

What was once a temporary solution to seasonal demand is evolving into a strategic chance to explore new talent pools, evaluate skills on a larger scale, and establish pathways for long-term employment. Varun Sachdeva, Senior Vice President and APAC Head at NLB Services, noted that the effects of festive hiring may extend beyond the immediate season. The report utilizes industry trends, employer perspectives, and actual job postings during the festive period to project the potential volume of seasonal and gig employment.

Key Areas of Job Demand

The report highlights that employers typically begin workforce planning around 12-14 weeks before the peak festive season. This proactive approach allows them to create talent pools in advance, reducing the stress of large-scale hiring within a limited timeframe. As demand intensifies within a short period, being prepared is becoming a competitive edge.

Seasonal hiring needs are expected to remain substantial in areas such as last-mile delivery, warehousing, retail sales, customer service, inventory management, field operations, and hospitality. New operational roles are anticipated to see a 15-20% rise, including positions like dark-store inventory controllers, returns specialists, customer resolution executives, marketplace operations professionals, fraud support staff, catalog management executives, and order management specialists.

Geographical Expansion of Hiring

Roles that were traditionally seen as operational are increasingly integrating digital platforms, data analytics, automation, and real-time decision-making. The geographical scope of festive hiring is also broadening; around 45% of the total hiring demand is expected to come from Tier II and III cities, with a projected 25-30% increase in these markets. The growth of e-commerce, quick commerce, organized retail, and regional fulfillment networks is driving demand in cities such as Jaipur, Lucknow, Indore, Surat, Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Coimbatore, Chandigarh, and Kochi.

Emerging Talent Pools: Freshers and Women

The report indicates that the festive workforce is becoming more inclusive and diverse geographically. Freshers, first-time job seekers, and women are emerging as significant talent pools, benefiting from flexible work hours, jobs closer to home, and organized temporary employment. In various categories, women from non-metro areas could represent 30-35% of new female hires, suggesting that festive demand is generating job opportunities beyond the traditional urban talent pool.