Rural, q-comm boom may push FY26 retail hiring...

"SALARIES OFFERED ARE at least 5-10% higher than industry standards, with companies also asking prospects if they are ready to migrate to other locations to fill up positions," Arora said.

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In retail, q-commerce players are expected to be the most aggressive, as they expand their operations into tier 2 markets from metros and large cities, executives said.

Profiles that are most in demand are for positions in delivery, logistics and warehousing as q-commerce players increase their dark store networks to be able to service customers quickly in new markets.

Some staffing experts say that the demand for gig and temporary workers for these positions is high, as the retail sector sees a sharp shift to flexible staffing models to manage seasonal demand and specialized skill sets.