Mumbai, April 25, 2023: Billion Careers, a subsidiary of Quess Corp and the leading digital job platform for blue-collar job seekers, has today released their data insights based on recruiter job postings on Qjobs, their digital hiring platform, reflecting the hiring trends for blue-collar workers in India. Qjobs caters to the aspirations of over 55 lakh job seekers who look forward to building their careers through hyper-local job discoveries that best match their skills. According to the report, the requirement for security services blue-collar jobs has tripled over the past year and has also shown a 219% increase on a year-on-year (YoY) basis (Mar ’22 vs Mar ’23).
The report also indicates a positive trend in the overall job vacancies for the blue-collar workforce in India, with the total number of job openings rising from 53,38,456 in March 2022 to 57,11,154 in March 2023. This suggests that the job market is improving steadily over a longer period, with some short-term fluctuations due to global uncertainties. Various Govt. initiatives, rapid urbanisation, infrastructure development, the growing middle class, and the rise of e-commerce are estimated to create more job opportunities in the coming months.
Commenting on the job trends, Amit Nigam, CEO, Billion Careers said, “Despite the changing economic climate, there is an increasing demand for blue-collar workers, especially in the HR/admin and security service job roles. This surge reflects a growing need for skilled professionals who can manage various aspects of the workplace. This trend is expected to continue in the coming years, with more companies realizing the importance of investing in talent management and securing the workspace to improve their overall business performance. Furthermore, India’s investments in infrastructure development, including the construction of highways, airports, and ports, are expected to generate a plethora of blue-collar job opportunities in the transportation, logistics, and construction sectors. Together, these factors paint a positive outlook for the future of the blue-collar workforce in India.”
Security services and HR job roles on the rise in the blue-collar workforce
The remarkable surge in the rise of security services in the blue-collar workforce indicates the importance of maintaining a safe and secure work environment. The companies are now seeking to hire security guards who are approachable, friendly, and possess a knack for conflict resolution in the workplace. The job roles of event supervisors and on-ground security staff also come under this category, requiring them to have a different perspective on people management. The report further highlights that the admin and human resource job categories witnessed a rise of 61.75% YoY, demonstrating strong demand for HR professionals across various industries.
The counter sales and retail job category observed a healthy growth of 33.17% YoY, reflecting the steady growth of the retail industry. This is likely due to factors such as increased demand for goods and services and overall economic growth. The field sales job category showed a substantial increase of 24.70% YoY and the business development job category also observed an increase of 20.59% YoY.
Delhi outperforms other cities and showcases a gradual positive hiring growth of 54% YoY
Delhi saw the highest YoY increase of 54%, making it the top geography for the blue-collar workforce. The surge in demand is due to the growing e-commerce and delivery industry and the increasing investment in the logistics and warehousing sector in the region. While Mumbai saw a negligible increase due to the city’s stable and diversified job market.
Freshers outshine their experienced counterparts and constitute over 82.84% of the blue-collar workforce
Between March 2022 and March 2023, around 82.84% of blue-collar hires had 0 to 3 years of work experience, while those with 7 or more years of experience accounted for only 0.15% of hires. This trend of hiring freshers continues as companies recognize their ability to bring a fresh perspective, creativity, and innovation to organizations. Furthermore, some employers hire freshers as a long-term investment towards their future workforce, as having tech-savvy individuals in an increasingly automated world is advantageous.
Female labour force participation in India’s blue-collar industry remains low
Despite efforts towards gender equality, men continue to dominate the blue-collar industry in India, with a staggering 84.26% share of the workforce in March 2023. This is in contrast to women, who make up only 15.74% of the workforce due to several factors, including unequal opportunities for skill development and career advancement. The government and companies should take measures to promote women’s participation in non-traditional jobs, ensure equal pay for their work, and implement policies to guarantee a secure and welcoming work atmosphere for them.
Period for the report
The report includes comparative data from March 2022 vs. March 2023.
