Ecommerce (ecom) and quick commerce (qcom) platforms are expected to lead gig worker hiring in calendar year 2026 (CY26), adding nearly 1 million workers on the back of sustained demand for last-mile deliveries, higher order volumes, and continued expansion of dark stores into non-metropolitan cities, industry experts have said.
'Given that the population is almost evenly split, the Indian economy cannot grow without women participating in the workforce.' 'While women's participation has increased, it is still well below 40 per cent,' says Kartik Narayan, CEO of the professional networking and jobs platform, Apna.
Contrary to popular misconception, Gen Z's work ethic isn't about avoiding responsibility. It's about choosing impact over hierarchy, explains Kartik Narayan, CEO of jobs marketplace, Apna.
'Headcount expansion is more likely in revenue-linked and product-critical teams than in broad based hiring.'
At times, this stress reaches a tipping point, resulting in tragedy. 'Organisations need to empower their people managers to foster psychological safety, where employees feel seen, heard, and supported -- not just as professionals, but as people navigating the pressures of work and life.'
Hiring demand is strongest for high-impact technology and product roles, particularly DevOps engineers, product managers, and full-stack developers.
Qcom alone is expected to account for a 60 per cent surge in gig hiring, adding 1.5 million to 2 million roles.
Bengaluru dominated as the country's top city for job opportunities and salary growth as it has registered a 9.3 per cent year-on-year increase, closely followed by Chennai and Delhi, a report said on Thursday. This growth underlines Bengaluru's reputation as a technology and business hub as the average monthly unified salary in the city stood at Rs 29,500, making it the highest-paying city in the country, according to TeamLease Services Jobs and Salaries Primer report for FY24. The report is based on an analysis of unified salaries across temporary and permanent hiring markets.
'The expeditious enactment of labour codes and strategic measures to bridge the skills jobs gap are critical.'
'The second generation of migrant labourers is not enthusiastic about continuing in this field.' 'The parents of the next generation do not wish their children to be part of this trade.'
'It's a big technology company and may offer good remuneration, but stability in my career is equally important to me.'
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances