Corporate hiring sentiments for the June quarter rose three percentage points compared to the Jan-March 2025 quarter, seven percentage points more than the corresponding quarter last year — and 18 percentage points higher than the global average of 25%, found the latest edition of the ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey shared exclusively with ET.
About 55% of 3150 Indian employers asked about their hiring plans for the June quarter said they would hire more people; 12% expected a decrease in hiring intent or had no plans to backfill; 29% did not expect any change in their workforce, and 4% were unsure.
This puts the net employment outlook (NEO) — a bellwether of labour market trends — at 43%, the difference between companies looking to hire and those expecting a fall in headcount or hiring numbers.
The Information Technology sector continues to lead with the strongest outlook at 53%, followed by industrial & materials (48%), and financials & real estate (43%). Healthcare and life sciences (42%) and transport, logistics and automotive (40%) are among the others in the top five sectors with the strongest hiring outlooks.
“The survey reflects a resilient and growing job market in India, showcasing the confidence of Indian businesses in navigating an evolving economic landscape,” said Sandeep Gulati, managing director, ManpowerGroup India and Middle East.“As India cements its position as a global economic and technology hub, businesses are prioritising talent strategies that balance agility with long-term growth. The surge in AI, automation, and digital adoption is creating a demand for specialised skills, making workforce planning a critical priority,” he added.According to the survey, company expansion is the main factor driving manpower increases, with 45% saying that their company is expanding in size, creating more positions. Around 38% of employers said they were expanding their workforce to meet the demands of technological advancements; 35% because they needed the latest skills to stay competitive and 34% said new ventures required new roles.
Other reasons employers cited for planned headcount increases included roles opening up because of new evolving service needs, diversity efforts, specific projects and backfilling roles.
Job markets have strengthened in all four regions, both compared to the last quarter and April-June 2024. Western India (47%) leads regional hiring intentions in the June quarter, followed by the North & East (44%), and the South (39%).
Larger organisations continue to drive hiring, with companies having 1000-4999 employees reporting the highest outlook at 58%, followed by an outlook of 55% for companies with 5000+ employees.
IT, industrial and materials, healthcare & life sciences, transport and logistics & automotive and communication services sectors see growth in hiring intentions compared to the March 2025 quarter. Financial and real estate are marginally down by one point while energy & utilities and consumer goods & services see a decrease of six points and eight points respectively compared to the previous quarter.
Market changes (36%) was listed as the top reason for employers anticipating a staffing decrease in the second quarter, the survey found.
Hiring outlook: the quarter ahead
India Inc’s hiring sentiment for June quarter highest across 41 countries
India hiring outlook at 43%, 18 percentage points higher than global hiring outlook of 25%
Top 3 sectors with highest hiring intentions
IT – 53%
Industrial and materials – 48%
Financials and real estate – 43%
Bottom 3 sectors with lowest hiring intentions:
Consumer goods & services – 32%
Energy & utilities – 32%
Others – 26% (includes Government or Public Service; Not for Profit/NGO/Charity/Religious organization; Other Industry; Other Transport, Logistics & Automobiles Sub-Industry; Educational Institutions; Agriculture & Fishing)
Source: ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey