Handset industry gears up for festive hiring surge amid 5G boom

The handset industry is gearing up for a significant boost in hiring as the festive season approaches. Experts predict a 15% increase in hiring activity, compared to the 10% witnessed last year. This surge in recruitment will primarily occur in the retail sector and will predominantly involve contractual positions, as brands strive to make the most of the crucial sales period, as per an Economic Times report.

Despite a recent slowdown in hiring due to muted shipments in the past few quarters, the surge in 5G shipments and the anticipated positive sentiment among customers during the festive season are driving brands to bolster their sales and support teams.

Lohit Bhatia, President of Workforce Management at Quess Corp told ET, "This is the first festive season that truly reflects the economic situation without the shadow of the pandemic. Consumer sentiment is largely positive."

With 5G adoption on the rise and consumers looking to upgrade their smartphones to access these services, handset brands are focusing on strengthening their sales and support teams during this festive quarter.

While the past few quarters saw indirect attrition in the handset segment due to muted demand, the approaching festive season necessitates filling vacant positions and hiring additional executives to meet the expected spike in demand.

Most of the hiring during the festive season will be for contractual positions, typically lasting 3-6 months. However, this year's festive season hiring will cover September to mid-January, potentially extending contracts to six months.

For manufacturing, festive season-related hiring follows a different pattern, with production demand for the 2024 festive season anticipated several months in advance, typically in the first quarter of the calendar year