India’s Hiring Outlook Strengthens, Leads 42 Countries in Global Survey

Indian hiring outlook is set to reinforce confidence in people by the final quarter of 2026. Employers are signalling greater confidence in the expanding workforce despite persistent challenges and changes in technology, skills and business models, according to the findings of the ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey for Q4 2026. The survey said India recorded a net employment outlook (NEO) of 54 per cent, the strongest among all the 42 countries surveyed.

According to the survey, India’s hiring outlook improved by six percentage points from the previous quarter and was 11 percentage points higher than last year. This survey is based on responses from 3,055 employers in India. This survey revealed that 65 per cent expect to increase staffing levels between October and December 2026. Another 24 per cent expect that their workforce is most likely to remain unchanged. The remaining 11 per cent are anticipating a reduction in headcount.

India Leads Global Hiring Sentiment

Indian NEO is significantly ahead of the global average of 29 per cent. This underlines that India comparatively has a strong employment outlook. Globally, ManpowerGroup has surveyed 39,878 public and private employers across 42 countries. India is followed by Vietnam with a 36 per cent outlook and China at 34 per cent. The Asia-Pacific region recorded an overall NEO of 34 per cent. This is 6 percentage points up from the previous quarter.

This improvement comes after a softer hiring outlook in the preceding quarter; this suggests that employers are becoming more confident about workforce expansion as they enter the final months of the year, the survey said.

Demand increasingly driven by changing skills

The survey said a significant part of recruitment is driven by changes in the nature of work. Among employers planning to increase staffing, 69 per cent in India cited changing roles and skills requirements as a key reason for hiring. Companies are looking for capabilities linked to technological advancements, expansion into new business areas, and changing customer and operational requirements.

According to the survey, the findings hint at a labour market where employers are becoming more and more selective about the capabilities they need. Hiring is increasingly being linked to specialised and future-ready skills rather than just increasing the workforce numbers. Globally, 62 per cent of employers planning to add staff said that changing roles and skills were the primary driver of this surge, the survey said.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is also reshaping recruitment. While companies are using more AI in hiring processes, the global survey suggests it has not yet consistently shortened recruitment timelines. Globally, 28 per cent of the employers said that their average time to hire has become much faster than in 2025, while 41 per cent said that it remained unchanged. The remaining 30 per cent reported slower hiring.

Overall, the Q4 outlook provides a positive signal for the Indian employment market, with 54 per cent NEO leading all 42 countries.