Indian companies to hire 10-12M employees in 2026: Report
What's the story
Indian companies are gearing up for a major hiring spree in 2026, according to staffing services firm TeamLease. The company projects that between 10-12 million jobs will be added next year, an increase from the estimated 8-10 million in 2025. This surge is backed by HR executives from firms like EY, Godrej Consumer Products, Diageo and Tata Motors who are prioritizing diversity and campus recruitment as key hiring strategies.
Recruitment strategies
EY India and Diageo's hiring plans
EY India plans to hire 14,000-15,000 people in its fiscal year ending June 2026. "Campus hiring has always been an important pillar of hiring at EY," said Arti Dua, the company's Chief HR Officer. Meanwhile, Diageo's Indian unit will focus on new skills like digital and supply chain expansion as well as increasing female representation in their workforce.
Sector-specific recruitment
Tata Motors and Godrej Consumer Products's hiring focus
Tata Motors plans to hire mainly in battery technology, software-defined vehicles, hydrogen fuel, engineering and R&D roles. The company's Chief HR Officer Sitaram Kandi said these opportunities will drive their recruitment strategy. Godrej Consumer Products is also focusing on inclusivity by increasing representation of persons with disabilities, LGBTIQA+ and cis-women to 33% by FY27 from the current 31%.
Diverse recruitment
Motilal Oswal Financial Services's hiring approach
Motilal Oswal Financial Services plans to hire across all business lines, including replacement and incremental roles in tech, data science, AI support functions. Group CHRO Niren Srivastava said they are also looking at increasing female leadership representation within their workforce. This is part of a broader trend among Indian companies to focus on diversity and inclusivity in their hiring practices.