Festival rush leaves gig workers in short supply

India's gig economy is being put through the wringer this festival season.

- Sowmya Ramasubramanian, Suneera Tandon & Devina Sengupta

Hiring delivery agents, drivers, and warehouse staff from August to November, coinciding with festivals like Durga Puja and Diwali, has become a bigger challenge this time compared to previous years. The aggressive expansion of quick commerce platforms, combined with many workers avoiding these roles because of undue pressure, has resulted in a shortage of gig workers.

Recruiters estimate demand for such workers has surged 30-50% from the festival months last year, and their wages have spiked 40% from a few weeks ago. Workers delivering products home or providing porter services stand to make *45,000 to 50,000 a month, according to recruitment and logistics companies.

Companies employing gig workers have increased incentives by 15-20%, with delivery agents getting surge bonuses, attendance rewards, and higher per-delivery pay. "Some are also offering quick payouts and retention bonuses to cut down on attrition," said Neeti Sharma, CEO, TeamLease Digital, part of the recruiter TeamLease group.