Retail powers workforce surge at Reliance

Reliance Industries, one of India's top private sector employers, saw its consolidated workforce rebound in FY25 following a sharp correction in FY24 led by retail.

- Dipali Banka & Suneera Tandon

In FY25, the total employee count rose to 4,03,303 from 3,47,362 in FY24 due to its retail business, according to the company's annual report.

In FY24, the company reduced its workforce by 42,052, of which 38,029 were in retail.

Again in FY25, it added 55,941 employees, with 40,230 new hires in retail.

The retailer ended the year with 19,340 stores, up 2.67% from the year-ago period, and a retail area of 77.4 million sq. ft.—albeit lower than the 79.1 million sq. ft. retail area it occupied in the previous fiscal on account of rationalizing large store spaces.

Last fiscal year, the business opened 1,840 new stores, with the total store count standing at 18,836 stores.