What does 2016 have in store for Indian employees?

The year 2016 brings good news for job seekers, with hiring activity expected to increase by a considerable 7 per cent across sectors.

These findings are based on a 2016 job outlook survey of over 1,614 employers across India. They report positive hiring plans by nearly 60 per cent of the surveyed organizations.

IT, telecom and manufacturing to lead hiring

According to the survey IT, telecom and manufacturing sectors are going to be the biggest employment generators in 2016.

Nearly 25 per cent organizations surveyed predict IT and telecom will hire the maximum number of people while 20 per cent forecast manufacturing will be the top employment generator. Over 17 per cent organizations voted for infrastructure and 15 per cent for healthcare.

"With the government’s Digital India and Make in India push, manpower demand is bound to increase in core technology and manufacturing sectors in 2016,” says Vivek Madhukar, COO, TimesJobs.com.

He adds that though big enterprises are expected to rule the hiring scene in the New Year, one cannot overlook the contribution of startups in creating new jobs.

"Though 66 per cent of the major corporates surveyed deny any sort of competition from startups in our survey, one cannot overrule the fact that e-commerce and startups will add a significant number of jobs next year. In addition, the focus of organizations on business expansion, selling and branding will fuel the demand for sales, business development and marketing professionals in 2016." says Madhukar.

Sales and marketing profiles to top demand

According to 26 per cent of the companies sales & business development professionals will be the most sought-after, with companies offering premiums for proven performance.

Another 25 per cent organizations forecast there will be increased demand for marketing professionals, with those with digital marketing skills commanding a higher premium.

For 20 per cent organizations, IT professionals remain the focus area expecting to see the maximum demand.

More hiring of middle level managers

The most optimistic recruitment plans of companies is for middle-level. The survey reveals that professionals with 2-5 years of experience will see the maximum demand from across sectors.

Nearly 68 per cent of the surveyed organizations said middle-level professionals will be the most sought-after demographic in 2016.

Another 20 per cent felt that senior-level talent will see the maximum demand while 12 per cent said entry-level talent will be in demand.

Gender diversity efforts to continue

The focus on gender diversity will continue to take shape in 2016, as nearly 57 per cent of the organizations surveyed said they are focused on increasing the strength of their women workforce in 2016.

Nearly 60 per cent organizations said women professionals will be hired at middle-level positions, 32 per cent said their hiring will be at entry level while 8 per cent will recruit women professionals in C-suite roles in 2016.

Metros to generate most jobs

Metros will be the job hubs of 2016. Positive hiring activity is also reported in tier I locations and state capitals.

The talent demand trend in tier II and tier III locations is expected to be sluggish. Nearly 55 per cent organizations said the maximum number of jobs opportunities will continue to be in the metros - Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai.

The survey also predicts that the fourth quarter of 2016 will be most optimistic in terms of hiring activity.