Apr 03 2024, 06:09
IT hiring shows signs of life; companies stay cautious:
IT sector consultants said that the conversation for FV25 is still heavily focused on more dilution of the bench, increasing automation, improving efficiency and targeted hiring mostly in niche areas such as Al and GenAl amid continued macroeconomic uncertainty and hardly any signals of demand recovery yet.
Active hiring from top IT services companies recorded their first rise in the past 20 months, with the total number of open positions accepting applications rising to 82,000 in March from a low of 50,000 in January this year, data from LinkedIn and other top job boards showed.
But on the back of dipping attrition, the collective gross hiring by the top IT services companies fell 4-6% QoQ in the quarter ending March, shows an analysis done for ET by staffing firm Xpheno, based on talent movement patterns in the January-Mar period. The analysis looked at Wipro, Infosys, TCS, HCL, LTI Mindtree, L&T Technology Services, Tech Mahindra and Cognizant.
capacityIT sectoraiacquisitionIIFL Securities "While gross hiring (attrition refills and fresh hiring) has been low and declining for eight quarters, the current rise in active demand denotes a return of hiring for capacity in the ITS cohort," said Anil Ethanur, co-founder, Xpheno.
"With the 4-6% drop, the gross hiring volume for the quarter ending March 2024 could emerge the lowest in more than two fiscal years. But despite the dip in gross hiring, the combined impact of lowered exits, will result in a headcount degrowth that's lesser compared to previous quarter," he added.
Circumspect Outlook
Rishi Jhunjhunwala, Senior Vice President, IIFL Securities, said: "Overall there is no material pick-up in demand and FY25 could be more muted than anticipated by the Street, in terms of revenue growth. But hiring may pick up slightly after companies have focused on manpower optimisation, freeze on hiring over the whole of last year. Some positions will open up as companies have managed to increase utilisation and lower attrition."
Data shows that the biggest IT services companies have left a trail of 75,000 net headcount reductions over the last three quarters.
source: et
Apr 04 2024, 09:32