Festive season boosts demand for gig workers, employers plan to hire 10 lakh workers
Employers prefer gig workers with 1-5 years of experience. Only 10.7 percent of surveyed employers were open to hiring gig workers with no prior experience
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As the festive season approaches, India is expected to see a surge in demand for gig workers in ride-hailing firms, e-commerce, quick commerce platforms, and other sectors.
The gig economy encompasses a wide range of fields, including ride-sharing, food delivery, freelance writing, graphic design, and various other digital and non-digital services.
According to a report by TeamLease Edtech, employers are planning to hire roughly 10 lakh gig workers and 250,000 contractual workers across sectors.
Platforms such as Uber, Ola, Swiggy, and Zomato are prominent recruiters of gig workers. More than 60 percent of the employers emphasized the significance of technical and communication skills for gig workers.
Employers prefer gig workers with 1-5 years of experience. Only 10.7 percent of surveyed employers were open to hiring gig workers with no prior experience.
However, the TeamLease survey highlighted that despite the surge in gig hiring there is a persistent skill gap among the gig workers.
42.86 percent of the surveyed employers said the workers lack knowledge about the specific industry.
Festive season fuels e-commerce boom: Meesho enables over 8 lakh jobs Another, 28.57 percent of employers said soft skills, including communication, teamwork, and a problem-solving attitude are deficient among the gig workers.
While gig workers are technically adept, the absence of domain expertise can hinder their efficiency and effectiveness, the report mentioned.
To bridge these gaps, TeamLease suggested that job training and online courses would be helpful for gig workers.
"By honing both industry-specific knowledge and soft skills, gig workers can significantly enhance their employability and efficiency in delivering quality results," the staffing firm added.
“On the ground, we often see that while gig workers are tech-savvy, they face challenges in managing client interactions and adapting to the dynamic needs of multiple projects. With the festive season ramping up, their ability to improve communication and problem-solving skills will play a crucial role. Success in the gig economy is a combination of many factors, including tech proficiency, communication skills, time management, and adaptability," Jaideep Kewalramani, Head of Employability Business and COO, TeamLease Edtech said.
The survey collated the responses of 837 employers across a wide range of sectors.
