New Delhi: India‘s festive season is expected to generate around 2 lakh to 2.5 lakh seasonal and gig jobs between July and December 2026, according to a report by global technology and digital talent solutions provider NLB Services.
The report estimates that festive hiring could increase by 15-20 per cent this year as companies across e-commerce, quick commerce, retail, logistics, hospitality, travel and consumer services prepare for a surge in demand.
The hiring push is also expected to extend beyond major metropolitan centres. Tier II and Tier III cities are projected to account for around 45 per cent of festive hiring demand, with recruitment in these markets estimated to grow by 25-30 per cent.
E-commerce and logistics to drive hiring
The festive period is one of the busiest stretches of the year for India’s consumer-facing businesses. Companies typically increase their workforce to handle higher order volumes, deliveries, warehouse operations, customer support and retail demand.
According to the NLB Services report, last-mile delivery, warehousing and fulfilment, retail sales, customer experience, inventory management, field operations and hospitality are expected to account for a significant portion of seasonal hiring.
The report said businesses are increasingly beginning workforce planning 12-14 weeks before the festive peak. This allows employers to build talent pools in advance and reduce pressure during the busiest part of the season.
The growth of quick commerce and regional fulfilment networks is also changing the nature of seasonal employment. Companies need workers who can support faster order processing, inventory movement and deliveries as consumers increasingly expect shorter delivery times.
New-age roles see stronger demand
Festive hiring is no longer limited to conventional temporary roles. The NLB Services report expects a 15-20 per cent increase in new-age operational roles.
These include dark-store inventory controllers, returns and refunds specialists, customer-resolution executives, marketplace operations professionals, fraud and transaction-support personnel, catalogue management executives and order-management specialists.
While these positions are operational in nature, employers are increasingly looking for workers who can operate digital platforms and use data and technology in their day-to-day activities.
Automation and real-time decision-making are becoming increasingly important in areas such as inventory management, order processing, customer service and logistics.
This shift means that even seasonal employment is becoming more technology-driven, with companies looking for workers who can quickly adapt to digital systems.
Tier II and III cities to account for 45% of demand
One of the notable trends identified by the report is the geographical expansion of festive hiring.
Tier II and Tier III cities are expected to contribute approximately 45 per cent of total festive hiring demand, while recruitment in these markets is projected to grow by 25-30 per cent.
The expansion of e-commerce, quick commerce, organised retail and regional fulfilment networks is helping companies reach consumers outside India’s largest cities.
Cities such as Jaipur, Lucknow, Indore, Surat, Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Coimbatore, Chandigarh and Kochi are expected to see increased hiring activity, according to the report.
The trend could also provide companies with access to wider talent pools while creating temporary employment opportunities closer to where workers live.
Freshers and women emerge as key talent pools
The festive hiring cycle is also expected to provide opportunities for freshers and first-time workers.
According to NLB Services, companies are increasingly using flexible shifts, proximity-based jobs and structured temporary employment to bring new workers into the workforce.
Women are also emerging as an important talent pool, particularly in non-metro locations. In several categories, women from non-metro areas are expected to account for 30-35 per cent of new female hires, the report said.
The trend indicates that festive employment is spreading beyond traditional urban talent centres. Flexible work arrangements and jobs located closer to workers’ homes could help companies attract people who may not otherwise participate in seasonal hiring.
Festive hiring becoming a strategic exercise
NLB Services Senior Vice President and APAC Head Varun Sachdeva said festive recruitment is increasingly becoming more than a short-term response to higher consumer demand.
He described the festive period as a test of workforce readiness, with employers hiring earlier and looking beyond traditional talent hubs. Companies are also increasingly relying on technology-enabled and flexible workers who can be deployed quickly.
The report said seasonal recruitment can also help employers identify new talent pools and evaluate workers at scale. Some temporary workers could potentially find longer-term employment opportunities after the festive period, although the report’s estimate itself covers seasonal and gig employment.
This makes the July-December hiring cycle relevant not only for meeting immediate festive demand but also for companies seeking to expand their workforce.
Demand expected across multiple sectors
The employment impact of the festive season is expected to extend across several parts of the consumer economy.
E-commerce and quick commerce companies need additional delivery and warehouse workers as order volumes increase. Retailers require additional sales staff and inventory personnel, while hospitality businesses typically expand staffing to accommodate higher travel and consumer activity.
Logistics companies are also expected to see additional demand for last-mile delivery, sorting, fulfilment and field operations.
The combination of these requirements is behind the projected 2 lakh to 2.5 lakh seasonal and gig jobs during the July-December period.
What the hiring trend means for India’s job market
The expected festive hiring surge highlights the growing importance of seasonal and gig employment within India’s consumer economy.
The estimated 2-2.5 lakh jobs are not necessarily permanent positions, as the report specifically refers to seasonal and gig employment. However, the expansion of hiring into smaller cities and the growing participation of freshers and women could broaden access to short-term work opportunities.
The increasing use of digital tools is another significant feature of the trend. From dark-store operations to marketplace management and customer resolution, technology is becoming part of roles that were traditionally less digitally intensive.
With businesses preparing months ahead of the festive peak, the 2026 season is expected to put India’s logistics, retail and consumer-services workforce under significant pressure. The NLB Services estimate suggests that this demand could translate into 2 lakh-2.5 lakh seasonal and gig employment opportunities between July and December.