The coronavirus outbreak has dampened the optimism of India’s working professionals.
Those employed in the media, IT, and manufacturing sectors, in particular, were pessimistic about their career progress and job security over the next six months, according to the LinkedIn Workforce Confidence Index released yesterday (May 5).
Much of the pessimism stemmed from the hiring freeze, layoffs, and pay-cut measures announced by India Inc.
Job seekers’ diffidence about new opportunities worsened during the survey period of April 13-19 from a fortnight before (April 1-7), according to LinkedIn.
This is also a result of the pandemic’s impact on paychecks. Several of the 2,254 professionals surveyed reported a loss of income.
Those working in India’s small- and medium-sized firms also reported loss of healthcare benefits.
Yet, some industries saw a pick-up.
A glimmer of hope
Employees of India’s healthcare, education, and corporate consulting services displayed the highest levels of confidence in the future.
Even in industries where professionals were pessimistic about the next six months, there is a hope of better performance in the next two years.