1 in 4 GCC Roles to Turn Contractual by 2026

Flexible staffing or contractual staffing is fast taking root as a key strategy for Global Capability Centres (GCCs), according to a report by hiring firm Careernet.

Adoption in GCCs climbed from 18% in 2024 to 22% in 2025, and is projected to hit 25% by 2026, meaning one in four roles could be contractual in nature by next year.

The rise comes as India’s GCC growth faces pressure from a shortage of upskilled talent, a gap earlier flagged by industry leaders as a risk to the country’s global edge. At least 10 leaders who spoke to ETGCCWorld on the sidelines of ET SURGE 2025 had flagged this scarcity as among the biggest risks to the growth of GCCs in India.

“While traditionally the tendency to outsource lower value chain work in IT Staffing was more pronounced, we are seeing a significant change in buyer mindset to look at capabilities, strong governance mechanisms, and commercial value beyond perceptions. We are seeing multiple instances where key critical work is outsourced in spite of direct presence in the region,” said Neelabh Shukla, Chief Business Officer, Careernet.

The Careernet report said BFSI remains the top adopter of this trend, followed by healthcare and e-commerce, with technology, manufacturing, and retail steadily rising. In terms of roles, non-tech roles at 65 per cent far surpass flexi hiring in tech.

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