0 months ago
Work-Life Balance Beats Pay for India's Most Attractive Employers
A big survey asked workers in India what they like most about their jobs.
It found that having time for family and fun, called work-life balance, matters more than money.
Google, Tata Group and Amazon were named the best places to work.
Many workers want to change jobs soon, and the main reason is not having enough balance between work and life.
Not having chances to grow and low pay also make people leave.
People who do digital jobs care the most about getting paid well.
Working from home all the time is becoming less common.
Instead, many people now work partly from home and partly from the office.
The survey says companies need to make work feel good and rewarding, not just pay well.
Google, Tata Group and Amazon are ranked India's most attractive employer brands, according to a Randstad study.
Work-life balance is the top driver of employer attractiveness for Indian talent, cited by 60% of respondents.
Nearly 46% of Indian professionals plan to change jobs in the next six months, with work-life balance (49%) the leading reason for leaving.
Digital professionals place the highest emphasis on compensation (73%) and are the most likely to leave over limited career growth (55%).
Fully remote work has declined from 47% in 2021 to 18% in 2026, with hybrid arrangements now the most common model (42%).
- Who
- Indian professionals surveyed by Randstad, including nearly 3,500 respondents in India, and employers such as Google, Tata Group and Amazon rated most attractive.
- What
- A Randstad study ranking India's most attractive employer brands and identifying work-life balance as the top priority for talent.
- Where
- India, within a global study covering 34 markets.
- When
- Findings reflect 2026 data, including a comparison of remote work trends from 2021 to 2026.
- Why
- Work-life balance has overtaken pay as the main factor attracting and retaining employees in India.
Key facts
- Most attractive employer
- Top 3 employer brands
- Google, Tata Group, Amazon
- Study respondents
- Over 1.75 lakh across 34 markets, including nearly 3,500 in India
- Top talent priority
- Work-life balance (60% of respondents)
- Professionals planning to switch jobs
- 46% within the next six months
- Top reason for leaving
- Work-life balance (49%)
- Fully remote work trend
- Declined from 47% (2021) to 18% (2026)
- Conducted by
- Randstad India
Quotes
Narayan Iyer
Managing Director, Randstad India
“"The post‑2020 era has fundamentally rewritten the psychological contract between employers and employees. Retention is no longer about strengthening isolated touchpoints; it requires closing the gap between financial reward and everyday fulfilment."”
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