Brands and manufacturers have also initiated recruitment significantly earlier this year, moving away from reactive, last-minute hiring towards a more structured pipeline initiated 12-14 weeks ahead of the festive peak, said Yeshab Giri, chief commercial officer, operational talent solutions, Randstad India. Randstad expects seasonal hiring to grow 12-15% increase over last festive season, led by targeted deployment across retail counters, field sales, and consumer engagement roles.