India festive hiring projected to grow 15–20% in 2026

India is expected to see a 15–20% increase in festive hiring during the second half of 2026, potentially generating between 200,000 and 250,000 seasonal and gig opportunities. According to a report by NLB Services, businesses in sectors such as e-commerce, retail, logistics, and hospitality are driving this demand.

There is a notable strategic shift in how companies manage seasonal labor. Employers are increasingly moving away from last-minute recruitment toward more structured, predictive talent strategies, often beginning workforce planning 12–14 weeks ahead of peak demand. This approach aims to build talent pools early and reduce the pressure of compressed hiring cycles.

While traditional roles in last-mile delivery, warehousing, and retail sales remain primary drivers, new-age operational roles—such as dark-store inventory controllers and returns specialists—are projected to grow by 15–20%. Additionally, hiring is becoming more geographically distributed, reaching into Tier-II and Tier-III cities.