92% Recruiters Anticipate Active Hiring Phase In H2 2023: Report

A recent report released on Monday said approximately 92 per cent of Indian recruiters are anticipating various forms of hiring activities in the coming six months, highlighting a potential resurgence of employment opportunities.

The study, which surveyed a diverse range of recruiters across industries, indicated that nearly 47 per cent of respondents foresee a combination of new job creation and replacement hiring. An additional 26 per cent of recruiters are focusing exclusively on generating new positions, while 20 per cent intend to maintain their existing workforce levels during this period.

Conversely, the Naukri report showcased a notably low concern for layoffs or downsizing, with just 4 per cent of recruiters anticipating such measures between July and December of this year. This outlook echoes a prevailing optimism among professionals regarding the stability of their positions in the coming months.

Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer at Naukri.com, remarked, "With 92 per cent of recruiters forecasting hiring activity, coupled with a return to normalcy in hiring practices anticipated by more than half of the recruiters surveyed, hiring outlook survey manifests an optimistic white-collar hiring landscape in the forthcoming half of 2023."

The report further highlighted the sectors poised to lead the recruitment surge. Recruiters predict that Business Development, Marketing, and Operations roles will take the lead in the job creation drive during the next six months. Additionally, the demand for Mid-Experience professionals is expected to remain high, closely followed by entry-level candidates.

While concerns about attrition rates were acknowledged, a substantial majority of recruiters (around 70 per cent) expect attrition to stay below the 15 per cent threshold in the coming months. A small fraction of respondents anticipated higher attrition rates of 40 per cent or more, indicating an overall intent among employees to hold onto their current job profiles amid market uncertainties.

The report also offered insights into salary increment trends. The majority of recruiters exercised prudence during the last appraisal cycle, with approximately 42 per cent indicating that their companies provided less than a 10 per cent increment. Meanwhile, 31 per cent of recruiters reported increments falling within the 10-15 per cent range, while a mere 6 per cent noted increments exceeding 30 per cent.