TeamLease Staffing Projects 4.7% Workforce Growth for HY1 FY2026–27, Driven by E-commerce & Tech Startups, Healthcare & Pharma, and Manufacturing

• E-commerce and tech startups lead sectoral hiring with 8.9% NEC, while manufacturing and infrastructure sustain demand on the back of capex and supply chain shifts.

• Hiring sharpens at a functional level with 54% expansion in sales and marketing, alongside strong demand in IT and finance roles linked to growth and compliance priorities.

• Structural shifts deepen as 80% of firms redesign salary frameworks, 64% report rising employment costs, and 62% invest in HR and payroll systems to strengthen compliance readiness.

Bengaluru, 26th March 2026: TeamLease Services (NSE: TeamLease), India’s leading staffing conglomerate, has released its Employment Outlook Report (EOR) for HY1 FY2026–27 (April–September). The report projects a Net Employment Change (NEC) of 4.7%, marking a steady rise from 2.8% and 4.4% over the previous two half-years. This improvement is reflected in employer sentiment, with 58% planning workforce expansion, 26% expecting no change, and 16% anticipating a reduction, indicating a gradual strengthening of hiring confidence across industries.

This improving sentiment is most visible among large enterprises, where 74% indicate expansion, compared to 57% of mid-sized firms and 38% of small businesses, pointing to a scale-driven recovery in employment growth. The momentum carries across sectors as well, with both digital and core economy industries contributing to demand. E-commerce and tech startups lead with a NEC of 8.9%, Healthcare and pharmaceuticals at 7%, followed by Manufacturing, Engineering and Infrastructure at 6.6%. At the same time, manufacturing, infrastructure, and energy-linked sectors continue to sustain steady hiring intent, supported by capital expenditure, supply chain realignment, and policy incentives. This trend is also reflected in compensation, with EV and EV infrastructure at 10.5%, fintech at 9.9%, and healthcare at 9.7% offering the strongest salary increments.

Alongside these sectoral trends, hiring is also becoming more defined at a functional level, with demand concentrated in roles that directly influence business outcomes. Sales and marketing lead hiring intent, with 54% of employers expanding teams, followed by IT at 40% and finance at 39%. This indicates a stronger focus on revenue generation, digital transformation, and compliance-driven roles, while administrative and back-office functions remain largely stable due to ongoing automation and process optimisation.

Hiring is also concentrated in capability-driven urban centres. Bengaluru leads with 67.9% employer expansion intent, followed by Hyderabad at 57.8% and Pune at 56.1%. Mumbai and Chennai are also witnessing steady momentum, supported by strong manufacturing, engineering, and R&D ecosystems. This indicates a broader shift in hiring patterns, where talent availability, infrastructure readiness, and sectoral depth are becoming more important than population scale alone.

A similar evolution is visible in skill demand, which is increasingly aligned with changing business needs. Digital literacy leads at 77%, followed by customer experience management at 68% and communication skills at 61%. Alongside these, employers are placing greater emphasis on adaptability, critical thinking, and data-driven capabilities, highlighting the growing integration of AI, automation, and analytics across business functions.

Commenting on the findings, Balasubramanian A, Senior Vice President, TeamLease Services, said, “India’s workforce dynamics are increasingly being shaped by structural and policy-led shifts rather than cyclical demand. With the implementation of labour codes, 64% of organisations reporting an increase in employment costs and 80% redesigning salary structures, businesses are recalibrating workforce models to align with new statutory frameworks. At the same time, 62% are investing in HR and payroll system upgrades, signaling a clear move towards embedding compliance within digital infrastructure. This reflects a deeper transition towards disciplined, efficiency-led workforce strategies that prioritise long-term sustainability over short-term expansion.”

The Employment Outlook Report for HY1 FY2026–27 highlights a broader transition in India’s labour market, where hiring is no longer driven by cyclical recovery alone but increasingly shaped by structural factors such as policy implementation, technological advancement, and evolving skill requirements. Organisations are building more agile and capability-focused teams, aligning workforce strategies with both immediate business needs and long-term growth opportunities.

These insights are drawn from a survey of 1,268 employers across 23 industries and 20 cities, conducted between November 2025 and January 2026.

About TeamLease Services Ltd.: TeamLease Services is one of India’s leading people supply chain companies offering a range of solutions to 4000+ employers for their hiring, productivity, and scale challenges. Listed on the NSE & BSE, TeamLease has hired 23 lakh+ people over the last 23 years. One of India’s fastest-growing employers, TeamLease also operates TeamLease Skill University (TLSU), India’s first vocational skills university and the first NAAC Accredited Skill University that offers employment-oriented multi-level programs. The Company offers solutions to large, medium, and small clients across the 3Es of Employment (around 3.2 lakh associates/trainees), Employability (over 7.5 lakh students), and E-workforce (over 1000 employers). In FY2015, TeamLease rolled out DA (Degree Apprenticeship) to provide on-the-job training to apprentices.