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Indian Companies Speed Hiring, But Notice Periods Delay Talent
Companies in India are deciding whom to hire faster than before.
However, many employees must wait 30 to 90 days before leaving their current jobs.
This means a company may make an offer but still wait a long time for the person to start.
About three in ten hires take at least 60 days to join after accepting an offer.
During the wait, candidates may accept counteroffers or choose another opportunity.
This problem is especially noticeable for AI, data science and other specialised technology jobs.
Global capability centres, or GCCs, usually make hiring decisions faster than other employers.
But GCCs often wait longer for new employees to join.
Experts say companies should value quick availability while still choosing people with the right skills and experience.
Careernet data shows the time from opening a requisition to extending an offer fell from 53 days in FY25 to 46 days in FY26.
The average wait between accepting an offer and joining remained about 30–33 days, with roughly 29–31% of hires taking at least 60 days.
Adecco said client expectations in its flexi staffing business have fallen to 24 hours, while notice periods still range from 30 to 90 days.
Hiring for AI, machine learning and data science roles grew about 48% year-on-year, while average time-to-hire rose from 38 to 63 days.
GCCs close roles faster than non-GCC employers but face longer post-offer waits, with average notice periods of 41–42 days.
- Who
- Indian companies, hiring firms, candidates and specialised technology professionals.
- What
- Hiring decisions are being made faster, but long notice periods and a shortage of specialised talent are delaying employees’ start dates.
- Where
- India.
- When
- The data compares FY25 and FY26; the report was published on September 6, 2026.
- Why
- Notice periods of 30 to 90 days, counteroffer risks and scarce specialised skills are extending the time between making an offer and having an employee join.
Faster Availability
Skills And Fit
Choosing between comparable candidates
Faster Availability
When candidates are broadly similar in skills, experience and cultural fit, companies may favor the person who can join sooner.
Skills And Fit
Skills and fit remain the primary considerations, particularly for specialised and leadership roles.
Managing urgent vacancies
Faster Availability
Long notice periods can delay critical work, reduce productivity and slow business execution.
Skills And Fit
Waiting for the right candidate may be preferable to compromising substantially on capability.
Notice periods and competitiveness
Faster Availability
Long waits create risks of counteroffers, candidate drop-offs and losing people to other opportunities.
Skills And Fit
India’s technology talent remains broad and deep; notice periods add friction but do not by themselves undermine the country’s competitiveness.
Key facts
- Offer decision time
- Careernet reported a decline from 53 days in FY25 to 46 days in FY26.
- Average joining wait
- The gap between accepting an offer and joining remained around 30–33 days.
- Long joining delays
- Approximately 29–31% of hires took 60 days or more to join.
- Specialised technology hiring
- AI, machine learning and data science hiring volume rose about 48% year-on-year.
- Specialist time-to-hire
- Average time-to-hire for AI, machine learning and data science roles increased from 38 to 63 days.
- GCC notice periods
- GCC hires waited an average of 41–42 days, compared with 27–28 days for non-GCC hires.
- Adecco client expectation
- Turnaround expectations in Adecco’s flexi staffing business have fallen to 24 hours.
Quotes
Ganesh S Padmanabhan
Vice President of Recruitment Business at CIEL HR
“All things being equal, we would prioritise candidates who can join sooner. However, skills and fit remain primary considerations. In a lean organisation, every position matters, and vacancies can affect business productivity. It is essential to balance the urgency of hiring with the need to bring in the right talent.”
thehindubusinessline.com
“Nearly a third of hires take two months or longer to join after accepting an offer — a significant gap between making the hiring decision and the person coming on board. During that period, companies are also managing the risk of counteroffers, drop-offs, or losing the candidate to another opportunity.”
thehindubusinessline.com
Sources
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