MUMBAI, INDIA – Hiring activity for white-collar jobs in June saw a 7.62% decline, with recruitment in many sectors remaining stagnant, according to the Naukri JobSpeak Index.
In June, the number of job postings for white-collar positions dropped to 2,582, down from 2,795 in the same month last year. The business process outsourcing (BPO) and IT-enabled services (ITES) sectors experienced a notable 9% reduction in hiring, significantly contributing to the overall decline.
Traditionally a major employment sector, BPO/ITES faced a slowdown reflecting broader trends in the white-collar job market.
Sector performance overview
The Naukri JobSpeak Index, which provides a monthly snapshot of the Indian job market, highlighted varied performances across different sectors. While some industries experienced downturns, others showed resilience and growth.
Sectors that saw a decline included:
- Telecom: 12%
- BPO/ITES: 9%
- Education and Teaching: 9%
- Global Capability Centers: 7%
Conversely, sectors that demonstrated positive hiring trends compared to the same month last year were:
- Insurance: 28%
- FMCG/Food Industry: 12%
- Pharmaceutical: 6%
Regional hiring trends
The report also revealed regional disparities in hiring trends. Major metropolitan cities like Bengaluru and Mumbai witnessed declines of 9% and 6%, respectively. However, cities in Rajasthan and Gujarat showed significant growth in job creation. Notable increases were seen in:
- Jodhpur: 36%
- Kota: 21%
- Udaipur: 13%
- Rajkot: 35%
- Surat: 13%
- Jamnagar: 13%
Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer at Naukri.com, commented on the evolving job market dynamics. “The power dynamic shift in the Indian hiring landscape is well and truly underway, with mini-metros consistently outpacing their metro counterparts. Gujarat has been a silver lining in an otherwise turbulent market, and it’s now encouraging to see emerging cities in Rajasthan such as Jodhpur and Udaipur join the fray.”
This report underscores the changing landscape of white-collar employment in India, highlighting the resilience of smaller cities in driving job growth amidst broader market challenges.
