A recent survey conducted by edtech startup Scaler found that 90% of companies will be hiring at the same pace as the pre-COVID-19 period this year, and over 50% said they would be hiring more in Q1 2021 as compared to the same period last year. The demand for talent across MNCs and large companies is expected to increase due to new client acquisitions in the last few months. According to the survey, companies are investing to attract diverse remote talent. Software developers, data scientists, web and mobile application developers and UI/UX designers are in high demand, the survey added.
Companies are purportedly willing to pay a premium salary to those with knowledge and experience in new-age digital skills like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Data Science, among others. Campus placements and freshers’ hiring will be back on track, according to the survey. As organisations across sectors invest heavily in digital transformation to scale operations, there is a huge demand for tech talent. Hence, there is likely to be an uptick in entry-level jobs.
After experiencing success with WFH and remote working, companies are now confident in hiring remote talent to access a larger talent pool. However, while MNCs and large companies have adopted a hybrid workplace model or are in the process of transition, early-stage startups continue to prefer the in-premise workplace model, citing collaboration challenges.
The survey also found that work-from-home has increased the opportunities for women, especially for those looking to re-enter the workforce. Diversity, inclusion and equity were the top priorities for the companies who participated.
The survey was conducted among over 150 partner companies across size and sectors (MNCs, large companies, high-growth startups and early-stage startups) to understand the hiring plans for Technology roles in 2021.
Abhimanyu Saxena, Co-founder, Scaler said, "The last year was tough for most sectors and industries. But over the last few months, things have changed. The current sentiment is quite positive as businesses across diverse sectors pick up momentum. We expect hiring, especially in the technology sector, to return to pre-COVID numbers by the end of this quarter. Companies will hire, but they will focus on hiring the right talent. People will need to invest time and effort to ensure they have the requisite skills and knowledge. Up-skilling and re-skilling will continue to be key growth drivers."