With most consumer durable companies expecting double-digit growth in 2023 due to high demand for summer products such as air conditioners, refrigerators, coolers, fans, etc, the sector is expected to increase its workforce by up to 30 per cent. “Hiring is expected to begin in March and continue till June. Companies are expected to increase their workforce by up to 30 per cent, especially in the segments dealing with cooling systems and products,” said Balasubramanian A, Vice-President and Business Head, Teamlease Services.
Brands across the segment expect demand surge due to the early onset of summer season. A few firms like Haier, Panasonic, Voltas are looking at hiring temporary as well as permanent employees, while others like Godrej Appliances will manage the surge with existing workforce. “Keeping in mind the demand, we will be hiring across front line sales and service representatives. They will be hired across India and will continue to be associated with us, helping us especially during the peak seasons,” said Fumiyasu Fujimori, Managing Director, Panasonic Marketing India, Panasonic Life Solutions India.
This financial year, Panasonic registered around 35 per cent growth (April 22-to date, as compared to the same period in 2021-22) and is hoping for a continued growth momentum registering double-digit growth. Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning is targeting growth to the tune of 25 per cent in the first half of the year and to register a double-digit growth during the peak season, said Gurmeet Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Ltd.
Haier India is also looking to achieve a double-digit growth in the AC segment. “Given strong demand for the cooling appliances, we will further look at employing necessary manpower across departments as and when needed,” said Satish NS, President, Haier India. Voltas
Godrej Appliances anticipates over 2x growth in AC sales compared to last year. “We are targeting a growth of 40 per cent this summer over last year from the entire set of cooling appliances like air conditioners, refrigerators, air coolers and deep freezers,” said Kamal Nandi, Business Head and Executive Vice President, Godrej Appliances. However, the brand is not looking to increase the manpower. “We do not respond to sharp surges in demand with a commensurate increase in manpower, given that demand in our industry is seasonal,” he said, maintaining that its manufacturing plants and field teams are prepared to handle the summer surge.
Where is the hiring taking place?
In terms of departments, consumer durable firms are looking at hiring for front line sales and service representatives, along with skilled manpower at the manufacturing facilities. “This will ensure that operations across sales, marketing, customer support and allied functions are smooth and seamless. Due to our widespread presence across the country we will also actively recruit temporary talent from tier-II and tier-III cities for roles like in-shop sales demonstrators and after-sales-service technicians, along with skilled manpower at the manufacturing facilities,” said Pradeep Bakshi, MD & CEO, Voltas Ltd.
While many will hire temporary workers, Panasonic’s Fumiyasu Fujimori said, “Keeping in mind the demand, we will be hiring across front line sales and service representatives. They will be hired across India and will continue to be associated with us, helping us especially during the peak seasons.” Besides hiring, Haier also talked about training its manpower. “We are well aligned with the customer demands, and thus we are focused on R&D investments, product innovation and training skilled manpower,” said Satish NS.
Agreed Jayanth Murthy, Joint Managing Director – South Asia and Africa, Kaizen Institute, “This surge in employment also means that there is a certain percentage increase in untrained seasonal workforce that may or may not be able to maintain adequate efficiency and quality levels. Brands will also require allocating resources towards training incoming new members and to optimize supply chain and product line efficiency.”
“The trend towards automation and digitization is increasing, causing employers to hire more skilled workers. This trend is likely to continue in the coming years, and manufacturers should prioritise workforce upskilling to remain competitive,” said Balasubramanian A. In terms of regions, while the top locations for hiring will be cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai, it will not be limited to tier-I locations but will trickle down to rural markets as well.