Bengaluru: Tech hiring outlook for 2019 will remain muted throughout the calendar as firms have not shared any people addition mandate with their HR heads and people officers for this year. Low single-digit, need-based, lateral hiring may take place across Indian tech landscape, however, companies in general will stay extremely low key on hiring especially when there is uncertainty (of a slow down) in their key marketplace, the US.
HR head at a Tier I tech firm says, Until a few years ago, we used to spent as many as 10 to 12 hours a day in hiring and induction related activities. With jobless growth being the new business mantra, hiring is no more the key function of HR today, instead the focus is on training, skilling and reskilling to equip people for digital and emerging technologies”.
Tech hiring were in the 20 to 25% range until some five years ago, before it dropped to single digits, 7%, 4%, then to 2%, and now to almost nil in some cases. Hiring intentions and mandates are almost missing among enterprises, say experts in recruitment industry. BS Murthy, CEO of Bangalore-based tech hiring firm Leadership Capital says, Hiring is almost off the horizon and this scenario is likely to continue for the next 2/3 years. Job situation in India will get more alarming as Western markets may be heading towards a slowdown”.
As per Chennai-based independent tech recruiter Pallavi Nair, I get a sense that most lead tech firms in the country are confident of growing without hiring in the next 2/3 years. Companies have enough people and the whole focus is on training and making as many people billable as possible under digital engagements”. Shine Learning.com CEO Zairus Master however argues that with cutting-edge technologies like AI and machine learning becoming more and more integral to business operations in the IT/ITES sector, the demand for professionals with evolved, tech-led skillsets are likely to increase in 2019.
Expertise in areas such as data compliance and cyber security will also be much sought-after, given how critical data privacy and information security have become in the global business discourse.
With rapid technological advancement paving the way for a high-growth, high-value jobs ecosystem, we can expect continuous learning, unlearning, and relearning to become the motto of the new-age workforce”, adds Master.
