Festive hiring surges 15-20% as Tier-II, III cities drive gig job growth

India’s festive season is giving a boost to gig and seasonal employment, with hiring for these roles estimated to have increased 15-20% this year, according to TeamLease Services.

The rise comes as e-commerce, retail and logistics companies prepare for higher consumer spending and a surge in deliveries during the festive period. While metros continue to offer better earnings, smaller cities are becoming an increasingly important part of the hiring landscape.

Smaller cities gain ground

Tier-II and Tier-III cities are seeing faster growth in gig opportunities as companies expand their delivery, logistics and retail operations beyond major urban centres.

“Gig opportunities in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities are growing faster than metros, and these markets now account for nearly 55 per cent of gig postings, compared with about 39 per cent two years ago. Quick commerce is a significant part of this expansion, with gig postings in smaller cities growing more than 600 per cent year-on-year,” Kartik Narayan, CEO of Apna, told NDTV.

The expansion is also opening up employment options closer to where workers live, reducing the need for some to move to larger cities for work.

“As consumption decentralises, employment is decentralising with it. For a growing number of workers, opportunity is beginning to move closer to home,” Narayan said.

Delivery and warehouse roles dominate

E-commerce, quick commerce, logistics, organised retail, FMCG and consumer durables are among the sectors driving festive hiring.

Delivery associates remain in strong demand, while warehouses and fulfilment centres are adding workers to manage higher order volumes. Retailers are also looking for store associates, field sales executives and in-store promoters.

Companies are increasingly recruiting for specialised operational roles as well, including inventory and fulfilment coordinators, dark-store associates, warehouse automation operators, and returns and quality personnel.

“Employers are shifting from sheer volume recruitment to precision hiring,” Balasubramanian Anantha Narayanan, Senior Vice-President at TeamLease Services, said.

Incentives add to festive earnings

Although workers in Tier-I cities generally earn more, companies are using incentives to attract and retain frontline staff during the busy season.

These include peak-day surge pay, productivity-linked payouts, referral bonuses, fuel and shift allowances, along with attendance and tenure-completion bonuses.

“Companies are increasingly looking for workers who have basic digital skills and can handle more specialised operational work,” Narayanan told NDTV.

The festive hiring push is also widening opportunities for women in frontline roles.

“The festive season may be accelerating the trend, but the underlying change is structural. Businesses are expanding deeper into India,” Narayan said.