Weekly Top Articles & Industry Trends For Staffing Leaders
A collection of this week's most important news articles, market trends, and blog entries will give you an inside look at what's going on in the staffing and recruiting space.
White-collar hiring activity reported a modest 2 per cent growth in November compared to the same month last year, mainly driven by sectors including oil and gas, artificial intelligence-machine learning (AI/ML), FMCG among others, a report said on Tuesday. Naukri JobSpeak Index, an indicator of white-collar hiring activity, reported modest trends in November, coming in at 2,430 points, reporting a 2 per cent year-on-year growth. In November, standout performers included Oil and Gas (14 per cent), Artificial Intelligence-Machine Learning (20 per cent), FMCG (6 per cent) and GCCs (4 per cent), highlighting the continued buoyancy in these domains.
According to a survey by Owl Labs, around 46% of the respondents said they have a side hustle or a secondary job, and 36% said they intend to go down this path soon. This is indicative of how a majority workforce is focusing on generating multiple streams of income. Along with enhancing their financial security, polyworkers enjoy flexibility, reduced chances of burnout, networking opportunities and a wide range of other benefits that come with establishing one’s personal brand while managing a full-time role. However, before envisioning such a career path it’s imperative to dive into the advantages and complexities this trend holds.
Real estate consultant CBRE on Wednesday released a report titled, Tamil Nadu: The Epicentre of Capability and Innovation Leadership', highlighting Chennai's rising prominence as a key destination for GCCs and its expanding commercial real estate landscape. "Over the years, Chennai has solidified its position as a preferred hub for global corporates, which accounts for 11 per cent of India's current GCC talent. The city currently hosts 250+ GCC units, which is expected to reach around 450-460 units by 2030," CBRE said. Chennai's robust infrastructure, proactive state government policies, and quality office development are aligned to meet the needs of global corporates, it added.
“Services sector employment grew at the fastest pace ever recorded since the survey began in 2005. This hiring surge reflected improving business confidence, rising new orders, and robust international demand. However, high food and labour costs drove input and output prices to their highest rates in 15 months and nearly 12 years, respectively,” said Pranjul Bhandari, chief India economist at HSBC. The Services PMI, an economic indicator based on surveys, measures the health of India’s service sector on a monthly basis, offering insights into employment, sales, prices, and inventory trends.
In the modern workplace, data is no longer a hidden ally —it has become the guiding force steering organisations through the complexities of talent management. Workforce analytics, once considered a a supplemental HR tool, now serves as a strategic compass, allowing companies to predict attrition, optimise team performance, and shape a thriving workforce in an increasingly competitive world.
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It is a challenge leaders must prioritise in 2025, because right now productivity pressure is often having the opposite effect of its intended objectives. The 2025 Employee Experience Trends report from Qualtrics reveals employees who feel under the pump are often less engaged, have lower levels of wellbeing, and more likely to leave. It is evident that pressure on employees is actually eroding business’ capacity for sustainable performance, which relies greatly on an engaged workforce that has the resilience to deliver consistent results over time.
The State of the Global Workforce survey, which collected data from more than 122,000 employees across 160 countries, reveals that over 60% of workers report feeling emotionally detached from their workplaces, while 44% experience chronic stress. According to a recent report by Gallup, several factors contribute to job dissatisfaction, with toxic work environments identified as a major concern. However, employees need not accept working conditions that dissatisfy them, as numerous organisations are frequently recognised as great places to work.
The most valuable asset of older workers is their experience and institutional knowledge, crucial for strategic thinking and tackling complex challenges. In my career, I’ve witnessed seasoned professionals driving organisational growth. Their knowledge—from managing downturns to understanding market shifts—offers a stabilising force during uncertain times and enables them to mentor younger generations. As consulting and workforce studies reveal, this experience fosters both organisational stability and knowledge transfer, becoming even more essential in today’s fast-paced environment.
Networking has become one of the most critical tools for career growth, job opportunities, and professional success. While technical skills and experience are essential, relationships are the key to unlocking doors that might otherwise remain closed. Building and leveraging a strong network is about more than simply collecting contacts—it’s about creating meaningful, reciprocal relationships that can enhance your career over time.
The Acumont team is here to share this week's industry insights with you. Staffing leaders can make better decisions by reading this weekly digest, which helps them understand the human capital issues that impact recruiting and staffing workforces as well as the economic trends that affect their businesses.
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Acumont Solutions is a global staffing services provider and offers a wide range of services, including talent acquisition services, international recruitment, executive search, startup hiring, recruitment process outsourcing, and contract staffing.