Telecom industry records slowdown in workforce growth: Study

The findings highlight the telecom workforce's young demographics, with 56.8 percent in the age group of 18-29 years.

Growth in manpower resources slowed down in the Indian telecom industry despite positive demand in entry-level customer-facing (sales, support and service) and technology roles, according to staffing firm TeamLease Services.

While the industry's associate workforce expanded by an impressive 51.05 percent in FY21-22, it moderated to 31.41 percent in FY23-24. However, telecom companies continued to actively hire field sales executives, customer relationship executives, retail executives, installation engineers, fibre repair executives, and cell site repair staff during this period.

"Our data reveals a dichotomy in the telecom sector workforce trends," said Kartik Narayan, chief executive of staffing at TeamLease Services. "While the overall employee growth rate tapered, we witnessed a demand for young talent in customer-facing and technology roles that support the industry's field operations and network infrastructure.”

The findings highlight the telecom workforce's young demographics, with 56.8 percent in the age group of 18-29 years. This youthful employee base aligns with the industry's frontline service delivery and tech deployment requirements.

Attrition rate in the sector declined from a peak of 58.4 percent in FY22-23 to 43.4 percent in FY23-24, partially because of the slowdown in workforce growth. Sustained average salaries of Rs 24,600 to Rs 25,475 likely to have also helped in employee retention.

"While the slowdown in overall growth is notable, we are encouraged by improving attrition rates and sustained entry-level hiring traction," said Subburathinam P, chief strategy officer at TeamLease Services. "Our insights underscore telecom's strong appeal among young job seekers and the industry's efforts to attract this digital-savvy talent through competitive compensation.”