New Delhi: India leads global hiring confidence for the October-December quarter of this year as a significant number of employers are planning to increase staffing during the period, a report said.
According to staffing firm ManpowerGroup's latest Employment Outlook Survey, India's employment outlook strengthened in the last quarter of this year, driven primarily by expansion by companies, while expected decreases are led by automation, technology and economic challenges.
The survey of 3,055 employers conducted from July 1 to 31 across India indicated that the country's Net Employment Outlook (NEO) for Q4 CY2026 stood at 54 per cent.
The Net Employment Outlook (NEO) is derived by taking the percentage of employers anticipating an increase in hiring activity and subtracting from this the percentage of employers expecting a decrease in hiring activity.
Around 65 per cent of employers in India plan to increase staffing between October and December, compared with 11 per cent anticipating reductions. Among the participants, 24 per cent expect staffing levels to remain unchanged.
"Employer confidence in India continues to build while heading into Q4 2026, with the Net Employment Outlook climbing to 54 per cent at a six-point rise over the previous quarter and eleven points higher than this time last year," said Sandeep Gulati, Managing Director, ManpowerGroup India and Middle East.
Globally, India is the frontrunner for employment outlook, 25 points above the global average.
The other countries in the list include Brazil (53 per cent), Panama (49 per cent), Mexico (41 per cent), the UAE (41 per cent) and Peru (40 per cent).
In India, nearly 70 per cent of employers are hiring in response to evolving roles and changing skill demands. The continued expansion of global capability centres, alongside strong growth in sectors such as finance and insurance, and hospitality, is creating sustained demand for talent.
"While employers continue to navigate challenges ranging from AI-driven workforce transformation to skills shortages and mismatched candidate expectations, the overall outlook remains one of confident and purposeful growth," Gulati added.
Hiring intentions have strengthened in all four regions compared with the previous quarter and year-on-year. The most competitive region in India is the East region with a NEO of 59.
The survey further noted that there is increasing use of AI across recruitment, and employers are seeing a universal improvement in time-to-hire.
"Recruitment is also accelerating, with 57 per cent of employers reporting a faster time-to-hire than a year ago, driven largely by the adoption of AI in hiring processes.
"The real test now lies in skills availability. As job requirements continue to evolve, sourcing candidates with the right capabilities is becoming increasingly difficult, making sustained investment in upskilling and continuous learning critical to maintaining this momentum," Gulati said.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
