Talent Market Drivers Since the Start of COVID: India Report

An illustration of two people looking and pointing at a cityscape as they walk. Within the cityscape, a series of interconnected lines and points is reminiscent of data.

That may be because companies aren’t delivering what talent wants. While work-life balance and compensation are the most important priorities for candidates, employee surveys reveal that companies score poorly on those priorities relative to other factors measured.

Between April 2020 and July 2021, good work-life balance grew in importance to Indian talent by 8.2%, to become not only the fastest growing priority, but the top priority when considering a new employer overall. This emphasis on balance might suggest that for all the benefits of remote work, there’s a dark side: employees are more likely to struggle with setting boundaries[1].

Chart highlighting on the left the top priorities when considering a new company, featuring from the top down Work-life balance, Compensation and benefits, Colleagues and culture, Effective management, Challenging work, and Flexible work arrangements. On the right highlighting is a chart highlighting company performance according to employees featuring the below from the top down, Flexible work arrangements, Challenging work, Colleagues and culture, Effective management, Compensation and benefits, Work-life balance.

Job demand growth

App developer

Cloud engineer

Illustration of a man sitting at a desk looking at his computer screen.

With more than half a billion internet users[2], COVID-19 has served to only accelerate digitisation. India now has the world’s largest and fastest growing[3] app market, and this is driving demand for talent that can capture some of this market. This is reflected in LinkedIn’s own data, with application developer recording significant growth (52x) and earning it’s position as India’s most in-demand job.

Digital talent is also breaking out of the tech sector to be in demand across industries. While digitally native tech companies were likely ready to use tech solutions to facilitate remote work, many others in sectors like retail, travel, and entertainment had to rapidly evolve and adopt new technologies and skills just to keep their businesses running. These pandemic-era changes will undoubtedly alter the way all businesses integrate digital skills and digital roles into their organisations moving forward.

A graph visualizing the demand for Application Developers from Q1 2019 to Q2 2021. At Q2 2020 there a indicator for "Start of COVID". The chart line remains fairly flat through Q3 2020 and then rises fairly steeply. A pulled-out statistic reads "52x," marking the rise in demand.

A graph visualizing the demand for Cloud Engineers from Q1 2019 to Q2 2021. It dips at Q2 2020, where there is an indicator for the "Start of COVID", and then rises fairly steeply. A pulled-out statistic reads "16x," marking the rise in demand.

Top 10 courses

Digitization

Communication

Critical thinking

Illustration of a computer screen displaying a Linked Learning course.

A pulled-out statistic reading "52x". Underneath it reads, "Increased Demand for Application Developers Q2 2021 vs. Q2 2020"

A pulled-out statistic reading "6x". Underneath it reads, "Increased Demand for Scrum Masters Q2 2021 vs. Q2 2020"

A pulled-out statistic reading "15x". Underneath it reads, "Increased Demand for Process Associates Q2 2021 vs. Q2 2020"

The Great Reshuffle is here: employees are rethinking their priorities, companies are reconsidering their needs, and everyone is learning to “build the plane as we fly it.” We’re all adapting to constant change, making decisions amid uncertainty, and exploring new opportunities.

And although the talent market always ebbs and flows, many of the changes we’re seeing today are unlikely to be undone. Hybrid work is here to stay, digital transformation is only accelerating, and people are building durable new skills for the future.

We’re just beginning to understand the full impact of the Great Reshuffle. But once the dust finally settles and the pandemic is far behind us, those companies who rose to meet this moment will reap the rewards in the talent market.

Illustration of two people standing in front of a computer.

For the full methodology, see the notes on the global edition of the report. All insights on this page are specific to India, with the exception of the graphic comparing top candidate priorities against company performance, which is based on global Glint and LinkedIn data.

1. LinkedIn Talent Blog, The critical hybrid work issue that companies should tackle now
2. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, Performance indicators reports
3. Adjust, The growth of India's app market: essential insights for 2021
4. IDC, Indian public cloud services market to grow at a CAGR of 21.5% for 2020-25, according to IDC
5. GlobeNewswire, India Cloud Infrastructure Market Report 2021: Market to Grow from INR 301.40 Bn in 2020 to Reach INR 1,169.23 Bn by 2025
6. World Economic Forum, We need a reskilling revolution. Here's how to make it happen

Talent Market Drivers Since the Start of COVID: India Report

LinkedIn data on what talent wants, what employers need, and what we’re learning in the Great Reshuffle

The global talent market has never changed this much, this quickly. Call it the Great Reshuffle: a time when everyone is rethinking everything.

What talent wants from employers

Candidates are rethinking how they choose an employer.

What employers need from talent

Employer demand for digital roles is rising fast.