New Delhi, Aug 25 (IANS) India's hiring intent between July and December is likely to remain strong, with 97 per cent of HR leaders expecting hiring to continue and 79 per cent forecasting hiring for entirely new roles rather than only filling existing positions this year, a report said on Tuesday.

The report from jobs platform Naukri said that real estate led optimism with 86 per cent of its HR leaders expecting new jobs, followed by FMCG at 85 per cent and IT/Tech at 83 per cent.

The report also said 86 per cent of HR leaders expect no significant job losses due to AI and over 20 per cent of HR leaders in IT and BFSI expect AI to create new roles in the next six months.

As roles evolve due to AI adoption, matching talent skills with job requirements remains the biggest hiring priority.

"Notably, employers see AI opening up new roles across many sectors — particularly in IT, Marketing, and Analytics domains. The message is clear: new roles are emerging," said Hitesh Oberoi, MD & CEO, Info Edge.

Nearly 79 per cent OF manufacturing and healthcare HRs forecasted fresh job creation, while BFSI held at 72 per cent.

HR leaders anticipate maximum hiring in business development, marketing and IT roles, with 45 per cent, 37 per cent, and 31 per cent respectively predicting highest recruitment in these areas.

Sector-specific trends indicate that Business Development roles are expected to witness hiring across sectors, with BFSI also drawing heavily on core finance talent. FMCG and Manufacturing are expected to concentrate on operations roles, while the IT sector remains firmly focused on tech-driven roles.

The report forecasted entry-level (0-3 years) hiring to be led by BFSI, healthcare and IT, with 83 per cent, 61 per cent and 60 per cent of their HR leaders respectively expecting fresh intake at this level.

Talent shortage is the biggest concern in the healthcare sector, with 39 per cent of its HR leaders citing it as the top hiring challenge.

On the compensation front, 58 per cent of HR leaders expect average increments to stay under 10 per cent, while 28 per cent foresee increments in the 10–15 per cent range.

HR leaders in IT, manufacturing, and real estate are more optimistic about double-digit salary hikes in the next cycle, with 50 per cent, 44 per cent, and 41 per cent in these sectors expecting such increases.

—IANS

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